Farmers from across the country have shared their opinions from experiencing farm inspections over the last few years.

While some farmers have had positive interactions with inspectors and say the book should be thrown at farmers implementing bad practices, others have flagged that the rules

keep changing and that there is genuine fear at the thought of an inspection.

Here are some of the opinions shared by farmers in the survey:

An inspector will never leave a farm without finding a problem, it’s like shooting fish in a barrel.

Each time we have an inspection the criteria changes from inspection to inspection. Consistency doesn’t come into it. No credit for making a huge effort to do everything right.

Bord Bia inspections are a very positive experience. Once you do your paperwork on a regular basis and keep up to date with things.

As regards the Bord Bia audit, it can be very frustrating dealing with the helpline, it could take an hour to get to speak to somebody.

The outcome of your inspection will ultimately be determined by the individual inspector which is wholly inconsistent.

I feel that amenable farmers are targeted for more inspections than a farmer that who be hostile towards an inspector. Draconian and over the top. Not the inspector’s fault, the rules are too black and white.

[Department of Agriculture] inspections on my farm were unannounced, went on for four days and I found the inspectors to be aggressive and unhelpful.

The purpose of the inspection seemed to be to give penalties and cut payments.

I have found the inspector very obliging and nice even considering my labrador ate his brand-new dealer boots that he left in the utility room.

Guilty until proven innocent. The person with the clipboard or worse the iPad (because you can’t see what they’re writing) almost brings you to tears of fear as you walk the farm you are so proud of.

[Department] and county council [inspections] are dangerous because so much is at stake. I feel that when you have everything in order then they change the rules and you have to spend more money reaching a new goalpost that they will shift again.

The yellow card system should be expanded for genuine errors. We need tougher penalties on rogues - spreading sludge and slurry throughout winter. This gives all farmers a bad name.

Seeing some farm yards in a bad state with plastic and netting left around. Also, plastic in fields and meal bags blowing around. Payments should be held off by inspectors until habits change.

The Bord Bia inspections are a joke - you get nothing extra for being a qualified supplier; it’s only a box-ticking exercise and they have to find something wrong.

I really wish the Department would choose a more proactive approach rather than the heavy-handed etiquette they adopt. It’s one strike and you’re out. No warning.

It’s a bit like going to the dentist, pure stress worrying about it, as no farm is perfect and their job is to find errors.Human error is no excuse in their eyes.