Bord Bia, otherwise known as the Irish Food Board, recently launched its new Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS).

It is an expansion of the Bord Bia Beef and Lamb Quality Assurance Scheme, responding to market demand for Ireland to continue to prove its sustainability credentials. It will be introduced on a phased basis as each farm is audited over the next 18 months.

The new scheme includes a close-out period and a Bord Bia help-desk to assist farmers prepare for their audit.

It will also continue to support the Irish farming and food sectors in areas such as food safety, traceability, animal welfare and environmental protection.

It will also include an increased focus on sustainability criteria.

The importance of Origin Green

Farmers who are certified members of the Bord Bia Sustainable Beef and Lamb Quality Assurance scheme and who participate in a farm sustainability survey as part of their audit are members of Origin Green.

The value of Origin Green to Ireland’s beef farmers and livestock industry cannot be underestimated, as 90% of the beef produced in Ireland is exported on an annual basis.

The buyers for that beef are increasingly interested in the whole area of sustainability and being able to source sustainable beef from countries like Ireland.

Bord Bia launched Origin Green in 2012. It is the only sustainability programme in the world to operate at a national scale showcasing Irish produce in global and home markets.

The programme is assisting the Irish food industry to partner with existing and new trade customers in the delivery of these customers’ sustainability plans and goals.

Irish farmers boxing above their weight

Despite the increased focus on sustainability, Irish beef farmers already have one of the lowest carbon footprints in Europe for their production.

However, a lot of the work done through Origin Green shows that there is scope for further improvements

The on-farm sustainability survey involves finding out about the practices that are used to produce beef on Irish farms and Origin Green farmers are given feedback specific to their farm.

This information can help farmers to set targets that can improve sustainability and increase profitability on their farms. The targets are tailored for the farm in question and are very achievable.

Six key areas for improvement

The six key areas, with regard to sustainability, that beef farmers can improve on their farms typically relate to the length of the grazing season, the average daily weight gain of animals, fertility, the efficiency of nitrogen use and the use of slurry or farmyard manure.

Protecting and enhancing biodiversity on farms is also a key part of Origin Green.

For example, it wouldn’t be possible for farmers or gardeners to produce many of our fruits and vegetables without pollinators, especially bees – but they are in decline.

Biodiversity action plans on farms can include targets ranging from the planting of trees to encouraging native flora and fauna.

A farmer’s perspective

Bord Bia’s Beef and Livestock Sector Manager, Joe Burke, recently visited the award-winning Origin Green dairy calf-to-beef finishing unit of Paddy and Tom Redmond at Craan, Gorey, Co. Wexford.

Paddy explained that the farm has been involved with Origin Green from the time it was established.

Pictured on Redmond’s farm (L-R): Thomas Redmond, Joe Burke and Paddy Redmond

“We think Origin Green is brilliant for sustainability and carbon footprinting – it’s definitely going to improve things on farms in Ireland.

“The target that we focused on after our last inspection was grass utilisation – getting cattle out to grass as quick as possible in the spring, grass management during the summer and to try to finish our cattle off grass as much as we possibly can.

I would encourage farmers to be part of Origin Green because I think it will reduce our carbon footprint and I think that’s going to be the important thing from an agricultural point of view in Ireland over the next couple of years.

Unless we make farming a very viable and profitable business, it’s going to be difficult to get the next generation to stay.

“But I think with Origin Green it will definitely help to get the next generation to stay on board,” Paddy said.

Benefits of Origin Green

Origin Green delivers dramatic improvements at farm level, both to the sustainability of the process as well as the economic returns and the efficiency on the farm.

For example, a farmer that extends the grazing season by up to 10 days can cut emissions by 1.7% and boost performance by up to €27/cow.

That can have quite significant profitability benefits in the case of a beef farm.

Similarly, if a beef or dairy farmer moves towards spreading 20% more of their slurry during the springtime of the year, that can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1% and improve the returns by €10/ha.

Irish farmers are already very interested in the area of sustainability and in the future. Origin Green is going to help them ensure the sustainability of the farm and to be able to pass it on in good condition to the next generation of farmers.