Farmers believe that confidence in Bord Bia is under threat as a result of the revelations earlier this week that a company run by the chair of the State agency Larry Murrin imported Brazilian beef last year.
Murrin is the managing director of Dawn Farm Foods. On Monday evening, a statement from his company confirmed that it had imported 1% of its beef supply from Brazil, sourcing the other 99% from Ireland, the UK and the EU.
At a board meeting of Bord Bia on Thursday, Murrin received the support of the board. However, two board members - Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) president Francie Gorman and Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) president Denis Drennan did not support Murrin remaining in his position and have sought his resignation.
The Minister for Agriculture has said the Bord Bia chair has his full confidence.
A straw poll on www.farmersjournal.ie which attracted 280 votes as of Friday evening saw the majority of respondents vote that the Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon should remove Murrin as chair. Some farmers believe that Murrin should remain in his position.
Brendan Golden, Connacht IFA chair
“Farmer perceptions and confidence in Bord Bia is under serious threat. It really highlights the need to have an independent chairperson.
"No laws [have been] broken, but the standards farmers are being asked to meet and with an update of the current standards in the process, it’s such an unthinkable situation that someone who chairs the main board of Bord Bia could think that it's ok to import beef from a country that has been proven to have no standards in place.
This is a serious issue and needs to be sorted now
“Irish farmers had to join [Quality Assurance] QA for compliance with schemes, while others endured strict audit procedures. Minister [Heydon] doesn’t seem to get the real feeling of farmers in this case. I recognise the importance of Bord Bia now more than ever.
“This is a serious issue and needs to be sorted now,” he said.
Mark Connors, Waterford IFA
“There is a dangerous assumption that the industry knows what's best for farmers. Hopefully, that arrogance won't prevail. But watching the Six One news, the disconnect is real.
“I'm not sure does the Minister for Agriculture and the entire board of Bord Bia actually realise the palpable anger of farmers.
“The hoops and extra hurdles farmers in Ireland go through in order to get certification only to be disheartened by the importation of beef from outside of Ireland and blended into our products and hitching a ride on the image of our quality assured beef.
Dawn Farm Foods confirmed that 99% of its beef supply was from Ireland, the UK and the EU in 2025.\ Odhran Ducie
“You can call this double standards or hypocrisy, but one thing is sure, farmers won't tolerate this,” he said.
Kevin Leahy, Co Kerry
“I believe Larry Murrin should resign from the board of Bord Bia. As a farmer, I have lost all confidence in Bord Bia and its ability to function in the best possible way to promote Irish food while the head of the organisation is using imported beef.
It's damage limitation at this stage
“It's damage limitation at this stage. He goes,” he said.
Conor O’Leary, Munster IFA chair
“Farmers cannot have faith in Bord Bia’s assurance process when the chair is involved in purchasing Brazilian beef.
“It shows a fundamental failure to understand the journey farmers have taken to meet and uphold standards,” he said.
Tom Treanor, Co Monaghan
“As an exporting nation, we understand the need for quality assurance and traceability, but we must have confidence in the position of chairman of the body that oversees this requirement. Our confidence has sunk with this latest revelation,” he said.
Jack Murphy
“Dawn is a global company with global customers. We cannot expect trade to be one-way traffic only. We depend on exports.
We cannot expect trade to be one way traffic only
“Murrin is doing an excellent job,” he said.
Thomas Galvin
“No one out there more qualified than Larry for the job. Bord Bia is a great success here and worldwide,” he said.
Stephen McQuade, Co Offaly
“With his expertise, [experience] and unlimited contacts in exporting across the globe, he’s the man for the job. If he is removed, he could be replaced with a clipboard-holding civil servant type. I think he should stay,” he said.
Michael McHugh
“Can the two farm leaders that have called for his resignation give a categorical guarantee that they haven’t used rations that contained imported ingredients from South American countries?
“As an exporting nation, our farm leaders need to grow up,” he said.
Read more
Larry Murrin to remain as Bord Bia chair
Updated: support for Murrin as chair not unanimous – Bord Bia CEO
Future succession scheme in CAP could pay €720/ha
Farmers believe that confidence in Bord Bia is under threat as a result of the revelations earlier this week that a company run by the chair of the State agency Larry Murrin imported Brazilian beef last year.
Murrin is the managing director of Dawn Farm Foods. On Monday evening, a statement from his company confirmed that it had imported 1% of its beef supply from Brazil, sourcing the other 99% from Ireland, the UK and the EU.
At a board meeting of Bord Bia on Thursday, Murrin received the support of the board. However, two board members - Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) president Francie Gorman and Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) president Denis Drennan did not support Murrin remaining in his position and have sought his resignation.
The Minister for Agriculture has said the Bord Bia chair has his full confidence.
A straw poll on www.farmersjournal.ie which attracted 280 votes as of Friday evening saw the majority of respondents vote that the Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon should remove Murrin as chair. Some farmers believe that Murrin should remain in his position.
Brendan Golden, Connacht IFA chair
“Farmer perceptions and confidence in Bord Bia is under serious threat. It really highlights the need to have an independent chairperson.
"No laws [have been] broken, but the standards farmers are being asked to meet and with an update of the current standards in the process, it’s such an unthinkable situation that someone who chairs the main board of Bord Bia could think that it's ok to import beef from a country that has been proven to have no standards in place.
This is a serious issue and needs to be sorted now
“Irish farmers had to join [Quality Assurance] QA for compliance with schemes, while others endured strict audit procedures. Minister [Heydon] doesn’t seem to get the real feeling of farmers in this case. I recognise the importance of Bord Bia now more than ever.
“This is a serious issue and needs to be sorted now,” he said.
Mark Connors, Waterford IFA
“There is a dangerous assumption that the industry knows what's best for farmers. Hopefully, that arrogance won't prevail. But watching the Six One news, the disconnect is real.
“I'm not sure does the Minister for Agriculture and the entire board of Bord Bia actually realise the palpable anger of farmers.
“The hoops and extra hurdles farmers in Ireland go through in order to get certification only to be disheartened by the importation of beef from outside of Ireland and blended into our products and hitching a ride on the image of our quality assured beef.
Dawn Farm Foods confirmed that 99% of its beef supply was from Ireland, the UK and the EU in 2025.\ Odhran Ducie
“You can call this double standards or hypocrisy, but one thing is sure, farmers won't tolerate this,” he said.
Kevin Leahy, Co Kerry
“I believe Larry Murrin should resign from the board of Bord Bia. As a farmer, I have lost all confidence in Bord Bia and its ability to function in the best possible way to promote Irish food while the head of the organisation is using imported beef.
It's damage limitation at this stage
“It's damage limitation at this stage. He goes,” he said.
Conor O’Leary, Munster IFA chair
“Farmers cannot have faith in Bord Bia’s assurance process when the chair is involved in purchasing Brazilian beef.
“It shows a fundamental failure to understand the journey farmers have taken to meet and uphold standards,” he said.
Tom Treanor, Co Monaghan
“As an exporting nation, we understand the need for quality assurance and traceability, but we must have confidence in the position of chairman of the body that oversees this requirement. Our confidence has sunk with this latest revelation,” he said.
Jack Murphy
“Dawn is a global company with global customers. We cannot expect trade to be one-way traffic only. We depend on exports.
We cannot expect trade to be one way traffic only
“Murrin is doing an excellent job,” he said.
Thomas Galvin
“No one out there more qualified than Larry for the job. Bord Bia is a great success here and worldwide,” he said.
Stephen McQuade, Co Offaly
“With his expertise, [experience] and unlimited contacts in exporting across the globe, he’s the man for the job. If he is removed, he could be replaced with a clipboard-holding civil servant type. I think he should stay,” he said.
Michael McHugh
“Can the two farm leaders that have called for his resignation give a categorical guarantee that they haven’t used rations that contained imported ingredients from South American countries?
“As an exporting nation, our farm leaders need to grow up,” he said.
Read more
Larry Murrin to remain as Bord Bia chair
Updated: support for Murrin as chair not unanimous – Bord Bia CEO
Future succession scheme in CAP could pay €720/ha
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