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Irish beef born, reared and slaughtered and processed in Ireland has been sent to the UK for further processing, Bord Bia CEO Tara McCarthy has said, as the current impasse between farmers and factories shows no sign of coming to a conclusion any time soon.
McCarthy told the 2019 Agricultural Science Association (ASA) that Aldi was on the news this morning [Friday] to say it was going to have product coming in through the UK and that that product would have the quality mark on it.
'Incorrect'
“That is incorrect,” she said.
“What the quality mark means is that product has been born, reared, slaughtered in Ireland, so it’s Irish product [from] a quality assured farm that has been inspected by Bord Bia.
It is still quality assured product and it will have the Bord Bia logo on it
“It has been processed in Ireland through a quality assured processor, inspected by Bord Bia.
"We have arrangements that we can also then, for further processing, inspect plants oversea, allowing quality assured product to arrive to our customers throughout Europe particularly.
“In this instance, Irish product born, reared and slaughtered and processed in Ireland had been sent to the UK for further processing.
"So it is still quality assured product and it will have the Bord Bia logo on it.
“This is an arrangement that we are making and it is within our guidelines and because it’s related to the current impasse, we want to make sure Irish consumers are buying Irish beef in their shops and that no other product would replace that,” she said.
Threat
McCarthy said that the biggest threat to Ireland is with customers that have been exclusive partners to Ireland.
“If you are a customer of Ireland and you share with multiple sources and you say my beef is European, then you can substitute that easily enough.
"But if you’re a customer who has put their reputation to say I buy premium Irish beef, you’re now vulnerable and customers don’t forget being vulnerable,” she said.
SHARING OPTIONS: