Bord Bia will return to full on-farm audits from 1 November onwards, in line with the Government’s easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

It says that all farmers who are due audits in the coming weeks have already been notified.

Bord Bia is currently examining the feasibility of a blended audit option for beef, lamb, and dairy members.

A blended audit will be performed in two parts, whereby the farmer uploads supporting evidence, such as remedy usage records, through a secure portal to be audited remotely.

This is then followed up with an on-farm audit of the facilities with the overall aim of reducing the amount of time spent on farm to make the audit more efficient.

Exceptional

However, fully remote audits will only be possible under exceptional circumstances.

In advance of visiting farms, all auditors will complete a training course that covers COVID-19 safety procedures.

Auditors will also follow Bord Bia’s COVID-19 auditor guidance document, which provides guidelines on hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene and physical distancing.

It has also recommended that farmers and auditors minimise the amount of time spent indoors.

Fully on-farm audits will continue provided they are in-line with Government guidelines on COVID-19.

Deirdre Ryan commented: “The majority of farmers adapted well to the remote audit process and the opportunity exists to retain an element of that system. Blended audits have already been trialled under the Pig Quality Assurance Scheme leading to an efficient approach for producers. Until such a system is developed, full on-farm audits will be the norm.”

Helpdesk

The Bord Bia Helpdesk is available to assist any farmer who has questions about their certification or an upcoming audit (01 5240410). Farmers can also check their certification status online at //qas.bordbia.ie/livestock/Verify.