Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) Poultry Chairman Nigel Renaghan has urged consumers to support local farmers by buying Irish reared turkeys this Christmas.

He said: “Buy an Irish turkey and be sure of what you’re getting for Christmas. Irish turkeys are reared to the highest possible welfare standards and are fully traceable back to farm.”

“By buying Irish you will be supporting the hard work put in year-round on family farms throughout the country to produce top quality, sustainable food; you’ll help to support your local economy and to sustain the 300,000 jobs connected to farming and food in Ireland.”

The IFA Poultry Chairman thanked all retailers who are supporting Irish and providing their customers with an Irish reared turkey this Christmas.

Irish consumers will consume 950,000 turkeys this festive season. Approximately 326,000 turkeys will be imported to Ireland for the Christmas market, supplying the wholesale and butcher markets.

Meanwhile in the UK, the National Farmers Union (NFU) is running a ‘Back British Farming this Festive Season’ campaign, including an online 'Turkey Finder' tool, which helps ensure support for British farmers, and allows consumers to choose a bird that has been fed a natural diet, bred for its natural flavour and reared locally.

Twelve thousand people have used the Turkey Finder, and over twenty thousand have visited the NFU's dedicated turkey webpage.

Minette Batters, NFU deputy president, said: “When shopping in retail stores we are encouraging consumers to get behind our campaign to support British farming. One of the easiest ways this can be achieved is in buying produce displaying the Red Tractor logo, which also provides a guarantee of traceability, environmental protection, food safety and hygiene and welfare standards.

“The festive season is a time when British produce such as roast potatoes, pigs in blankets and traditional turkey are treasured. And while Christmas dinner is the cornerstone of Christmas Day, British agriculture has a far wider part to play this time of year with the provision of British trees, plants and beers, to name but a few.”