IFA outlines timing of events in Bord Bia crisis

The fallout continues in the Bord Bia crisis around its chair Larry Murrin confirming this week that his company Dawn Farm Foods sourced beef in Brazil in 2025 for distribution to its customers.

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has moved to outline how this week’s events have unfolded, including its seeking of an emergency board meeting on Monday 19 January.

IFA president Francie Gorman has welcomed the decision to convene a meeting of the board of directors of Bord Bia for Thursday 22 January.

“This is a very concerning issue and the proper place to have a discussion is with the chairman and the board of directors,” he said.

“Last weekend, I spoke to the chairman of Bord Bia Larry Murrin and conveyed my grave concerns about the situation that had arisen with his company confirming that it imports Brazilian beef” he added

On the morning of 19 January, the IFA president spoke to the chief executive of Bord Bia. At 10.44am, he said he formally wrote to the CEO, copying the chair and secretary, asking for an emergency board meeting to be convened.

The chair responded with a letter to all board members on Tuesday 20 January but the IFA said he did not address the request for a board meeting.

IFA president went on to say “This afternoon at 15.44pm, I wrote back to the chair and all the board members of Bord Bia, insisting that an emergency board meeting be convened. I am conscious that I have responsibilities as a board member and the correct forum to address this issue with the chair and the other directors is at a board meeting,” he said.

“However, I am also conscious of my responsibilities as an elected representative of farmers who are the bedrock of what Bord Bia does,” he said.

“Farmers participate in the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme and they have to meet exhaustive and stringent requirements. Without farmer confidence, Bord Bia cannot do its job,” he said.

“I will be conveying my views on what should happen next at the board meeting on Thursday. I won’t be making any further comment until then,” he said.