Thursday, 28 August 2025
New Executive Director Appointed to Lead ‘Our Food Connects’ Under Project Connect Initiative A new chapter has begun for Irish agriculture’s public engagement efforts as Tom Cronin is appointed executive director of Our Food Connects, the newly established body operating under Project Connect. Cronin will begin his role in mid-September, marking a major milestone as […]
A new chapter has begun for Irish agriculture’s public engagement efforts as Tom Cronin is appointed executive director of Our Food Connects, the newly established body operating under Project Connect. Cronin will begin his role in mid-September, marking a major milestone as the initiative transitions from its interim phase to formal operations.
Project Connect is a sector-wide communications initiative developed over the past year by Bord Bia, with the support of major farmer organisations such as the IFA and ICMSA, agri-food companies like ABP, Dawn Meats, Tirlán, and Dairygold, and academic representatives from University College Dublin.
The initiative emerged in response to what stakeholders describe as an increasingly negative mainstream narrative around Irish farming, particularly regarding environmental impacts. Documents released through an Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) request revealed concerns that Irish agriculture could risk losing its “licence to operate” without stronger and better-resourced public engagement.
As urban populations grow and fewer people have direct contact with farming, perceptions of agriculture are shaped less by experience and more by headlines. One of the less-discussed challenges Our Food Connects hopes to address is the disconnect between rural producers and urban consumers, creating new spaces for dialogue, empathy, and understanding about the realities of modern farming.
In a world facing urgent climate and biodiversity challenges, public trust in how food is produced is becoming a defining issue. Consumers increasingly demand proof of sustainability, transparency, and ethics from the food system. For Irish agriculture, maintaining this trust is not just about reputation, it underpins export markets, policy support, and generational renewal in farming communities.
Project Connect aims to:
Coordinate communication efforts across the agricultural and food sector.
Highlight the economic, environmental, and social contributions of Irish food and farming.
Improve public understanding of the sector through educational outreach.
Address misperceptions about environmental impacts and sustainability.
Rather than individual voices operating independently, the strategy behind Project Connect is to align the messaging of multiple stakeholders under a unified and credible voice.
Tom Cronin brings over 20 years of experience in sustainability, food, and communications. He previously held senior roles with Green Isle Foods, GSK Sports Nutrition, and Bank of Ireland, and most recently led stakeholder and client services at a sustainability consultancy, working with clients like IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland.
The appointment was the result of a competitive process involving a panel of cross-industry representatives. Tom Moran, interim chair of Our Food Connects, said:
“His track record in driving collaboration and delivering impact across sustainability and food sectors makes him ideally placed to lead Our Food Connects.”
In his first public statement, Cronin described Ireland’s food industry as “one of our greatest national assets” and said the future of the sector depends on protecting land, water, and communities, while also communicating more effectively with the public.
Over the coming months, Cronin will focus on:
Building connections across the agri-food supply chain.
Finalising the brand identity for the organisation.
Preparing for a wider public rollout of the initiative.
His appointment signals the formal start of a concerted effort to shift how Irish agriculture is perceived, not just within the sector, but across Irish society.
Similar initiatives in countries like New Zealand, Canada, and the Netherlands have shown that coordinated, proactive agricultural communication can influence policy and public sentiment. Ireland’s approach, aligning stakeholders under a shared voice, reflects best practices seen globally, while also adapting to local nuances in culture, values, and land use.
The appointment of Tom Cronin as executive director of Our Food Connects marks a pivotal step in Irish agriculture’s effort to take control of its narrative. As Project Connect moves into its operational phase, the focus shifts toward building a more unified, confident voice for the agri-food sector. one that reflects the reality of sustainable progress, economic value, and deep-rooted community connection. In an era where public trust and environmental accountability are critical, this initiative represents a timely and strategic response. Through collaboration, transparency, and effective communication, Our Food Connects has the potential to reshape how Irish farming is perceived, both at home and abroad.
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