In a competitive global market, Bord Bia Quality Assurance, under the Origin Green programme, plays a vital role in protecting Ireland’s reputation for high-quality, sustainably produced meat and dairy.

Your participation in Bord Bia audits is the cornerstone of this reputation.

Here we have advice and tips on preparing for your Bord Bia audit, including what to expect and the most common non-compliances found.

Set the date

A key step in preparing for your renewal audit is to schedule a date and time with the auditor as soon as you are contacted.

This ensures that certification remains active while the renewal process is ongoing.

Check when you are due a renewal audit by calling the Bord Bia Helpdesk on 01 5240410 or online.

What to expect on the day?

When the auditor arrives, they will first explain the process during the opening meeting and answer any questions you may have.

They will then walk around the farm with you, looking at stock, housing, equipment and the farmyard.

Most aspects of the audit are completed through observation of good farm practices and conversations with you about your typical farm practices.

Following the farm walk, the auditor will carry out some paperwork and record checks to confirm that the information gathered during the walk matches the records on file.

During the audit, the auditor will discuss any findings with you as they arise and will go through everything again with you before leaving the farm (the closing meeting).

The audit lasts, on average, 90 minutes, but the better prepared you are, the shorter the audit will be.

What happens after the audit?

At the end of the audit, the auditor will explain if any issues are identified as non-conformances.

You will not fail the audit on the day if any issues arise. Instead, you will be given up to 28 days to address the issue (or issues) and provide evidence that corrective action has been taken.

For example, if an auditor identifies that a lagoon is unsafe, they may request a photo within 28 days showing that the lagoon has been made safe.

Evidence can be sent by text message to the Bord Bia Helpdesk or if preferred by email or post. You can also upload evidence by logging onto farm.bordbia.ie.

You can nominate an individual, such as a relative or neighbour, to do this on your behalf.  

This ‘close-out’ process does not apply if no issues are found during the audit.

Did you know? Over 87% of farmers successfully pass their Bord Bia audit on the day and go forward for certification.

Key areas to watch out for

Most non-compliances identified during audits relate to record keeping, particularly the recording of animal remedies, including both usage and purchases.

Top tip: Before your audit, ensure that you have a full and complete record of all medicines purchased and all medicines administered at least back to the last audit date.

For animal remedy usage, you must record the following:

Date of administration;
Name of medicine;
Quantity given;
Identification of animal;
Name of person giving the medicine/remedy or the name of the prescribing vet;
Date of the end of the withdrawal period. A common mistake is to insert the number of withdrawal days instead of date of end of withdrawal period.

Where an individual animal is treated, the identity of the animal must be clearly documented; for example, using the tag number or freeze brand.

Where the remedy is administered to a group of animals, it must be possible to clearly identify each animal in the group (e.g., all calves born January 1 to March 31 only).

Animal remedy purchase records can be kept in a variety of ways, e.g., using computer-based records; by using a manual such the Bord Bia Farm Book; or by retaining vet’s prescriptions back to the date of last audit.

The following details must be included:

Date of purchase;
Medicine name;
Quantity purchased;
Name and address of the supplier.

Top tip: most veterinary practices can print an account statement that will show all medicine purchases over any given time period.

How to keep records

Farmers can keep records in the way that suits them best. This may include keeping invoices or statements, using farm software, or any other system that captures the required information. Records only need to be kept in one location.

Note: Keeping accurate and up-to-date animal medicine usage and purchase records is a legal requirement under Conditionality (previously known as cross-compliance).

Sustainability Survey

A Sustainability Survey also needs to be completed before the audit.

The questions cover topics including housing dates and concentrates fed and takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.

All data provided must be from the previous calendar year, for example if your audit takes place in July 2026, you report from the previous January to December 2025.

The survey can be done online at farm.bordbia.ie. Alternatively, farmers can contact the Helpdesk on 01 524 0410 (Monday to Friday, 9:00a.m to 8:00p.m) to complete over the phone.

Audit satisfaction

A recent survey conducted with farmers after their audit found:

91% considered the audit process to be straightforward;
97% believed that the audit took a reasonable amount of time;
99% found the auditors themselves to be professional;
80% found uploading information easy to do.

Bord Bia Helpdesk

The Helpdesk (tel: 01 5240410) can help you to prepare for the audit and answer any queries about the process. The Helpdesk is available from Monday to Friday, 9:00a.m to 8:00p.m.

Bord Bia's Farmer Newsletter is out now. Read online for updates on Bord Bia's work to support Irish farmers, including the new Farmer Forum.