IFA to hold public meeting in Mayo on Bord Bia controversy
The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) is holding a public meeting this week in Co. Mayo on the ongoing Bord Bia controversy.
The meeting comes as controversy surrounding the Bord Bia chair Larry Murrin has been ongoing for several weeks.
Farm organisations and some politicians have called on Murrin to resign over the fact that his business, Dawn Farm Foods, sourced 1% of its beef from Brazil in 2025.
No unanimous agreement was reached by the leaders of the main farming organisations at a meeting organised by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon on Friday (February 13).
Minister Heydon has said that Larry Murrin has his "full confidence" as chair of Bord Bia.
IFA
The IFA began a rolling protest at Bord Bia headquarters in Dublin on January 26.
The farm organisation said they will remain in place until Murrin leaves his role as Bord Bia chair.
IFA Connacht regional chair Brendan Golden said farmers in the region are "very annoyed about the double standards at play".
"There is huge anger on the ground over this issue. Not every farmer can get to Dublin to support the protest at Bord Bia.
"This meeting is an opportunity for farmers in the region to make their voice heard,"he said.
The IFA has confirmed the meeting will take place in the McWilliam Park Hotel at 8:00p.m. on Thursday, February 19.
Golden said the IFA county chairs in the region met over the weekend and decided to call this meeting which will be attended by IFA president Francie Gorman.
He said public representatives from the region will be invited so they can hear the frustrations of farmers.
Golden described the outcome of last Friday's meeting with Minister Heydon as "very disappointing" as "it didn’t address the core issue, which is the collapse in trust in Bord Bia".
"Ireland’s food exports are built on the back of the 55,000 farmers who are part of Bord Bia’s Quality Assurance (QA) schemes and audits.
"The QA schemes are a partnership between farmers and food producers, manufacturers, food service companies and Bord Bia. That partnership is being shattered,” Golden said.
The IFA Connacht regional chair said "farmers will not have confidence in Bord Bia while the chair’s company is importing Brazilian beef and chicken".
"It has also emerged that his company is not even part of the Bord Bia Food Processing QA scheme, despite the Bord Bia website saying it was. This is simply not credible.
"Farmers cannot understand the stance of the minister on this. He has to realise the damage this is doing to the sector.
"I have no doubt there will be a strong message from the meeting," Golden said.
