Recently I was appointed to the Bord Bia Quality Assurance board.

I am acutely aware that farmers across all our sectors are frustrated at being asked to do more and more for no additional return. It is with this in mind that the current debate around the Grass Fed Standard and protected geographical indication (PGI) is so important.

Irish beef farmers deliver a world-class product in terms of safety, quality and environmental sustainability that is in demand the world over. However, the Irish beef sector faces many challenges, with enterprise profitability and overall farm income at the top of the list.

Incomes

Farmers’ incomes are pressurised by the confluence of several factors not of their making.

A lack of power in the supply chain sees only a minute portion of the overall value of animals returned to farmers. A PGI is recognition of the unique characteristics of a product, place and production system. In that recognition lies an opportunity for farmers to regain some element of power over their product.

It has always been my view that for any brand or initiative to be successful and to really deliver for the industry, it has to start by benefiting farmers.

Upstream players

However, money will not just flow through the chain to farmers. There is little evidence to suggest that upstream players in the food industry will return a premium to farmers of their own volition.

And this is why the Grass Fed Standard, as it was initially proposed by Bord Bia, failed. It did not put farmers at the centre and failed to demonstrate a link between farmers and the value that would be earned by the development of the logo.

I firmly stand over the decisions we made

Some have criticised the IFA for the position we have taken on the grass-fed PGI.

I firmly stand over the decisions we made. The initial proposals to exclude bulls were wrong, they should be included as they represent one of the most profiatable beef finishing systems and we cannot allow that to be disadvantaged.

Positive impact

The position we took at all times was rooted in our determination to see this have a positive impact on farmers’ incomes and profitability.

To achieve this aim, we need to ensure that the Grass Fed Standard and the PGI, in time, deliver a premium for farmers. We want and need the brand to have farmer buy-in.

But to achieve this, it must be a farmer-owned and controlled standard, which currently it is not.

The Irish grass-fed production system is based on our farmers, their images, their production systems and traditions

There is an opportunity here but it must first benefit the farmers who deliver on the promises of the brand. The Irish grass-fed production system is based on our farmers, their images, their production systems and traditions.

The Grass Fed Standard and the PGI are secured on the back of on farm data generated and owned by beef farmers.

All the criteria that needs to be met in order to achieve this status is delivered by farmers. For that reason, we are justified in demanding that the Grass Fed Standard and PGI remain the property of those farmers.

Opportunity

I believe that this is an opportunity to strengthen our position in the supply chain and in time secure a better market return for farmers.

This cannot become an add-on criteria to quality assurance to achieve the base price.

The only way for the PGI proposal to be a success is by ensuring that farmers extract the premium that is due to them

We need to make sure today’s premium doesn’t become tomorrow’s commodity. This would be completely unacceptable to the IFA.

The only way for the PGI proposal to be a success is by ensuring that farmers extract the premium that is due to them. If a PGI is achieved for Irish beef, it must be owned and controlled by the producers of that Irish beef, Irish farmers.