Bord Bia has said that its quality assurance (QA) programme is currently the only way to ensure compliance with EU criteria for Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) ‘Irish Grass Fed Beef’.
The food board previously confirmed to Agriland that farmers must be certified members of the Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS) for their cattle to qualify as PGI beef.
Farmers purchasing cattle for finishing who are aiming for them to qualify for the grass fed criteria must also ensure that they have QA coverage on previous farms.
However, the Irish Beef and Lamb Association (IBLA) recently wrote to Bord Bia chief executive Jim O’Toole questioning this requirement for beef farmers.
Spokesperson for the farm organisation Dermot O’Brien claimed that no agreement was reached during the Beef Taskforce meeting held in October 2020 for such criteria to be applied to farmers.
Bord Bia
In a statement to Agriland, Bord Bia said that the PGI application process involved “extensive consultation”, including national and EU-wide opposition procedures.
It added that since its initial submission the draft application is available to view on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) website.
“The Irish Grass Fed Beef PGI specification requires that a verification system is in place to ensure that the beef meets the grass fed criteria.
“When developing the application, the Bord Bia Grass Fed Standard was proposed as the established and best mechanism for the selection and verification of carcases to meet the specifications of the Irish Grass Fed Beef PGI,” the statement outlined.
PGI beef
The Grass Fed Standard was launched in 2020 and uses the SBLAS as the primary source of the data to calculate animals’ grass fed status.
“Any producer or processor who can prove that they meet the requirements of the Irish Grass Fed Beef PGI specification, in a recognised and auditable manner, can also be eligible for approval.
“Membership of the SBLAS is currently the only recognised means of verifying grass fed criteria for RoI beef producers, as required to meet the PGI specification approved by the EU Commission,” the statement added.
The European Commission granted all-island PGI status for ‘Irish Grass Fed Beef’ in December.
Last month, the first PGI beef product to be made available to European consumers appeared on shelves in 170 Esselunga supermarkets in Italy.