Proposals that are understood to have been tabled by Bord Bia in relation to Origin Green are “potentially a matter” for the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), according to one farm organisation.
Ongoing talks on the reform of Bord Bia’s Origin Green standards have seen a recommendation tabled that, if followed through on, would see quality assured (QA) farms only buying in cattle from other QA farms, Agriland understands.
However, it is also understood that final agreement on the new shape of the Origin Green standard is a considerable time away, and that detailed discussions on whether these recommendations should be included have not taken place.
Notwithstanding that, the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) has expressed alarm at the recommendations.
Dermot Kelleher, the association’s president, said: “This is potentially a matter for the CCPC to investigate whether this is a breach of competition law being proposed by a state agency.
“This is essentially barring access to the market for sellers, and it is restricting the choice of stock available to buyers,” he added.
Kelleher claimed that Bord Bia was “overstepping the mark” with this recommendation.
“It follows a worrying pattern of state agencies regularly overstepping the mark to the point that they are not only losing the dressing room, but their pontificating is generating massive alienation amongst cattle farmers.
“Suckler farmers are telling me that they are sick and tired of having their businesses interfered with for reasons which they are dubious about,” he added.
The ICSA president said: “It is well known that the best markets for weanlings are live exports, or weanlings that have potential for fatstock sales, or weanling heifers with future breeding potential. None of these markets require QA.
Kelleher said the recommendation, if put into action, would devalue a cohort of calves.
He added that ICSA is not part of the Bord Bia Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) which manages the criteria of the Origin Green QA schemes, including the Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS) and the Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme (SDAS); and that the ICSA would “vigorously oppose them”.
Bord Bia QA revamp
Agriland understands that recommendations of this nature were made for both the beef and dairy sector.
It is also understood that these recommendations (along with several others) were made at a meeting of the TAC late last year.
Bord Bia first indicated in early 2022 that it planned to overhaul Origin Green, aiming to put a greater focus on sustainability.
The actual process to revise the standards has been ongoing over the past year, it is understood.