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 that recommendations of this nature were made for both the beef and dairy sector.
However, it is also understood that final agreement on the new shape of the Origin Green standards is a considerable time away, and that detailed discussions on whether these recommendations should be included have not taken place.
Agriland understands that these recommendations (along with several others) were made at a meeting of Bord Bia’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) late last year.
The TAC 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).
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.
The recommendations to require QA farmers to buy livestock from other QA farms seems to have generated a negative initial reaction from farm organisations.
One farm organisation source said they were “horrified” by the recommendations, claiming that, if they are followed through on, they would constitute “anti-competitive practices”.
The same source also said that the state and state bodies are “alienating farmers” by making it “so difficult to farm”, and that there is a perception among farmers that state bodies are “out of touch with reality” when it comes to farming.
Origin Green and SCEP
Origin Green, specifically SBLAS, generated controversy in the latter half of last year, due to the requirement that applicants to the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) had to be members of the assurance scheme.
Farmers not already part of SBLAS had until October 16 to apply for the QA scheme in order to participate in SCEP.
Originally, farmers also had to be certified under SBLAS by the same date. However, this requirement was extended to January 22.
Some 1,400 SCEP applicants had failed to apply for SBLAS by October 16, meaning they were removed from SCEP.
No payment will issue to those farmers for 2023, or in subsequent years.