The controversy surrounding the chair of Bord Bia Larry Murrin has not impacted on the level of farm audits, the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food has heard.

Larry Murrin appeared before a special meeting of the committee today (Thursday, February 5).

He has faced pressure in recent weeks after it was confirmed that his company, Dawn Farm Foods, sourced 1% of its beef from Brazil in 2025.

Farm organisations and some politicians claim that Murrin's business sourcing beef from Brazil is incompatible with his role of chair of the body tasked with promoting Irish food.

Bord Bia

Murrin told the committee that, as Bord Bia chair, he does not manage day-to-day operations of the organisation, run Quality Assurance programmes, or manage the organisation.

He said this was a matter for the Bord Bia chief executive and the senior management team.

Murrin said he has never been conflicted in undertaking his role as chair of Bord Bia, which is to lead the board and ensure its effectiveness.

The Bord Bia chair said the Quality Assurance schemes "benefit farmers and underpins Ireland’s reputation".

Murrin told the committee that "without quality assurance, we don't have markets abroad for the products we produce as a country".

He acknowledged "the demands of the Bord Bia Quality Assurance audit" for farmers.

He noted that Dawn Farm Foods undergoes an average of 50 audits a year from its customer base across the world.

"It is completely incorrect to suggest that Dawn Farms promotes products containing non-Irish beef under the Bord Bia Quality Mark. Those claims are false and have caused damage," he said.

Murrin confirmed that his company is a member of Bord Bia's Origin Green but does not have gold status under the programme.

Audits

Fianna Fáil Senator Paul Daly asked the Bord Bia chair how the ongoing issue had impacted auditors who carry out farm inspections as part of Bord Bia Quality Assurance schemes.

"Have you briefed or had any communication with those auditors who are at the coal face and are meeting the farmers who are so frustrated at the moment with what's going on?" Senator Daly asked.

Murrin confirmed that the Bord Bia audit team "have been briefed".

Murrin then asked Jim O'Toole, Bord Bia chief executive - who had joined him at the meeting - to give further information.

Farms

O'Toole said that typically Bord Bia conducts about 800 audits per week.

"We are in constant dialogue with our quality assurance auditors," he said.

"They're very skilled and they engage with farmers every day, and they engage with them very professionally.

"Of course, they hear direct feedback from farmers," he added.

"On this issue, the key metric for us in terms of how this issue is playing out with farmers and our farm auditors is the level of cancellation if farmers don't want to participate in our quality assurance scheme or because they feel aggrieved about something that they would cancel their audit.

"I'm happy to confirm to you and to the committee that the level of cancellation that we had at a farm level from our auditors, is the very same as it was last year and the very same as it was the year before for this period of time," O'Toole added.

A spokesperson for Bord Bia previously confirmed to Agriland that "a small proportion" of its farmer members have "contacted Bord Bia to voice their concerns concerning the current impasse".