The fact that animal feed from Mercosur is being fed to livestock in Ireland "doesn't make the animals or their meat any less Irish," according to the chair of Bord Bia.

Larry Murrin, who is also the CEO of Dawn Farm Foods, told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food that he "doesn't have a problem with that personally" when it comes to animal feed imports from the likes of Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay.

Murrin was in front of the influential Oireachtas committee today (Thursday, February 5) to discuss Dawn Farm Foods's sourcing policy and outline his intention to remain as chair of Bord Bia.

He has reluctantly found himself at the centre of a controversy over whether his role as chair of Bord Bia is, as some have claimed, "incompatible" with his role as CEO of Dawn Farm Foods.

The Irish company has confirmed that the business sources some beef from Brazil. According to Dawn Farm Foods, Brazilian beef accounted for 1% of its beef supply in 2025.

The country's largest farm organisations, as well as the Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, have said they believe Larry Murrin's role as chair of Bord Bia is "incompatible" with his role with Dawn Farm Foods.

However today Murrin set out to senators and TDs during the committee meeting why he has 'enormous respect for Irish farmers" and why he is "not a champion for Brazil".

Bord Bia

The chair of Bord Bia outlined in detail Dawn Farm Food's sourcing policy and also its contingency plans to the committee to meet supply contracts with global customers.

"Without contingency, Ireland wouldn't enjoy the level of support it does from customers," Murrin told the committee.

The CEO of Dawn Farm Foods said supply chain security, and food safety are the two dominating decision-makers for global businesses in 2026.

However Murrin did take objection to a phrase which he said had arisen during questioning by senators and TDs during the committee meeting.

He highlighed what he said was the import of a "couple of million tonnes of animal feed into this country every year to feed our farm animals".

"In the light of the discussion being had here today, where the phrase double standards has been pronounced in questioning, it does suggest to me that the double standard allegation applies to Dawn Farm Foods, but not to farming," Murrin said.

According to the chair of Bord Bia, regardless of where the feed is imported from, such as Mercosur countries, in his view this "doesn't make the animals or their meat any less Irish".