Minster for Agriculture Martin Heydon has called a meeting of agri-food stakeholders to discuss issues around the dispute between Bord Bia and farming groups.
It comes as farming groups – including the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), dairy-farmer group the ICMSA – are calling on Bord Bia Chair Larry Murrin to step down after it emerged his company Dawn Farms has been importing Brazilian beef.
Farmers said this creates a conflict of interest for Mr Murrin, given Bord Bia’s role in promoting Irish food.
Since 26 January members of the IFA have been protesting at Bord Bia’s Dublin office over the issue.
Minister Heydon said “there has been significant debate in recent weeks around Bord Bia Quality Assurance Schemes and how they operate in practice for farmers”.
He said the meeting “is a real opportunity now for constructive dialogue to address the specific issues that have been raised and, importantly, to improve the experience for farmers while protecting the integrity and value of our quality assurance systems”.
He added that his objective is to “ensure Quality Assurance Schemes are future-proofed and continue to deliver tangible benefits for farmers and for Ireland’s agri-food sector”.
The Department of Agriculture said it hopes to hold the meeting, which will also include discussions on the future of EU funding for farmers, by the end of this week.
Three councils back motions for removal of Bord Bia chair
Meanwhile, the IFA has said three local authorities, Carlow County Council, Wicklow County Council and Wexford County Council, have backed motions for the removal of the Bord Bia chair.
In a statement, the IFA said its Carlow branch held a meeting on Sunday night where it was agreed a motion would be brought to yesterday’s monthly meeting of Carlow County Council.
IFA President Francie Gorman acknowledged the support from the local authorities, saying “it showed the depth of feeling on this issue”.
Mr Murrin has repeatedly said he intends to remain in his role with Bord Bia – saying he has done nothing wrong, while he has received the backing of the Government.
Call for Agri-Food regulator to investigate Dawn Farms
However, ICSA president Sean McNamara has called for the Agri-Food Regulator to “move immediately to investigate the activities of Dawn Farm Foods”, adding and that “Larry Murrin must facilitate that investigation in full if he genuinely believes in transparency”.
“There are far too many unanswered questions surrounding Mr Murrin’s position and his links to Brazilian beef imports for farmers to be told to sit tight and wait for new powers to kick in.
“Farmers deserve straight answers, and they deserve them now,” Mr McNamara said.
While the Irish Grain Growers Group (IGGG) has said “the Bord Bia impasse can not be just about beef” and that “native Irish grain simply must be included in any potential dialogue going forward”.
IGGG Secretary Clive Carter said: “If not IGGG will have to call out every Irish TD, Senator, MEP and influencer who pushed for a no to Mercosur vote and indeed the Government itself.”
Mr Carter said Irish tillage farmers have been dealing with Mercosur feedstuffs “for decades now and we’ve seen first hand the impact it has on the Irish tillage sector”.
“The area under tillage in Ireland is down 40% in those decades – a major loss of biodiversity. Very recent figures show approx. 1,500 fewer farmers with tillage on their farms since 2022, which is over 10% of a loss of farmers with tillage in just four years,” he added.
Last week at the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee, Mr Murrin said it was “double standards” by those opposing Mercosur beef imports, as they import grain from Mercosur countries to feed Irish animals.
