Farmers, politicans and farm organisations were among those who emailed Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon to outline their concerns over Bord Bia chair Larry Murrin.

A public dispute broke out between Bord Bia, the minister and farm organisations in January when it was confirmed that Murrin's company, Dawn Farm Foods, sourced 1% of its beef supply from Brazil in 2025.

The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) staged a rolling protest at Bord Bia's headquarters in Dublin over several weeks calling for Murrin's resignation or removal as chair of the Irish Food Board.

The protest was stood down on March 2 as agreement was reached on an independent review proposed by Minister Heydon.

The review commissioned by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is expected to be completed by April 30, 2026.

Larry Murrin, who remains as Bord Bia chair, has stated he has "never been conflicted" in undertaking his role at Bord Bia, which he said "is to lead the board and ensure its effectiveness".

Farmers

Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act to Agriland detail correspondence sent to the minister in the initial weeks of the controversy from January 14, to February 3.

One email to Minister Heydon stated: "The chairman of Bord Bia presides over a board that expects Irish farmers to produce beef to a standard that Brazilian farmers do not have to meet and yet he condones the purchase of beef in his own company from a country which does not have to meet the same standards.

"Of course, the man has done nothing wrong in purchasing beef from Brazil, but he cannot and should not be allowed to continue in his position of chairman of Bord Bia.

Another email called for both Larry Murrin and Minister Heydon to resign.

A farmer's wife told Minister Heydon that her husband "works himself to the bone 24/7, missing time with family and friends, doing long hours, caring for the land and for the welfare of our animals".

She added that her husband follows "the Bord Bia policies and welfare quality assurance schemes so that we produce top quality food for our country".

"He endures harsh weather conditions, endless paperwork and pressures associated with being a farmer.

"So you can imagine the frustration we feel, that he feels, when a man whose position it is to advocate for the Irish produced food slaps them in the face and imports...beef into Ireland," she added.

A dairy farmer in Co. Waterford wrote: "How can Ireland have any credibility if Bord Bia are promoting Irish beef fed on our green grass yet meat is being imported by a company whose [CEO] who is chairman of Bord Bia?"

Another email came from a suckler farmer from Co. Meath who said they have always voted for Fine Gael. "I’m probably as 'blueshirt' as you will find," the farmer said.

"Whilst I accept your line that no rules were broken, I believe you are missing the fact that trust between farmer and Bord Bia, is broken.

"For the sake of our government and the long-term viability of Fine Gael in rural Ireland I suggest you should reconsider how you have dealt with this so far.

"I do not feel that it will go away nor do I think that it should until fairness is restored," the farmer wrote.

Another email said: "As a small dairy beef farmer I want to express my disgust and disappointment that you made a public statement that you have full confidence in the Bord Bia chair".

Politicians

The minister was also contacted by some of his colleagues in the Fine Gael party.

Offaly Fine Gael councillor Hugh Egan said he had "multiple representations" from constituents "expressing their concerns over how we can stand over a person whose role is to promote Irish food internationally while his company admits to importing South American beef".

"I am appealing to you to find some channel to resolve this situation as soon as possible," he added.

Dean Kenny, director of agriculture and rural affairs with Young Fine Gael, also told Minister Heydon that he had been "contacted by a number of farmers and IFA members locally who are aggrieved by these reports".

Kenny added that he would appreciate if the matter was "dealt with as robustly and transparently as possible".

Farm organisations

Macra president Josephine O'Neill told Minister Heydon "it is essential that the leadership structure of Bord Bia commands confidence and stability".

"The longer this situation persists, the greater the damage to Bord Bia’s reputation, both among farmers and among Irish and international consumers, eroding confidence in the integrity and high standards of Irish produce," she wrote.

Several farm organisations came together to email Minister Heydon calling for Larry Murrin to resign or be removed as Bord Bia chair.

The groups added they were "unanimous in having no confidence in the entire Board of Bord Bia" adding that "its structure and composition must change".

The email was signed by Beef Plan Movement; Individual Farmers Tractor Protest Group; Independent Farmers of Ireland; Irish Suckler Society; Irish Beef and Lamb Association (IBLA); Irish Rural Association; and the Kerry Milltown 23 Group.

Support

Meat Industry Ireland (MII) wrote to Minister Heydon to express its full support for Larry Murrin in his role as chair of Bord Bia.

Philip Carroll, chair of the MII board, said: "As an industry dedicated to exporting Irish meat products globally, MII operates within a supply chain that upholds strict standards and specifications".

"This approach enables the supply of diverse products across multiple categories and demands both scale and agility to meet customer needs, including the ability to respond to unexpected surges in demand," he added.

Carroll said "maintaining a clear focus on customer requirements is essential to ongoing success - this principle is not new and applies across all business relationships and industrial sectors".

"Larry Murrin applies these principles to his export business, bringing a unique commercial perspective to his Bord Bia role," he added.

The email said that the board of MII has "consistently supported farmers, notably in opposing the Mercosur Trade Agreement".