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Bord Bia has said it is aware that more Irish beef could be sent to the UK for processing, as some supermarkets continue to be hit by beef shortages due to protests.
Under current Bord Bia rules, beef that has been born, reared, slaughtered and processed in Ireland can be sent to the UK for further processing and return bearing a Bord Bia Quality Assured logo on it.
Processing
Processing includes slicing, mincing or packing and can only take place in Bord Bia Quality Assured facilities outside the Republic of Ireland.
The practice has already been used by retailers such as Aldi to ensure its supply lines, as talks continue between Meat Industry Ireland (MII) and farm organisations.
Farmer questions
However, a number of farmers have criticised the practice and raised questions over the origin of the meat that returns to Ireland to be sold to Irish consumers.
These concerns have been addressed by Bord Bia CEO Tara McCarthy, who insisted that the practice was necessary to ensure that Irish consumers had access to Irish meat – rather than alternatives from other countries.
“We want to make sure Irish consumers are buying Irish beef in their shops and that no other product would replace that,” she said.
Origin Ireland logo
Bord Bia said that its Origin Ireland logo can be applied to meat products from animals born and reared on Quality Assured Irish farms.
“If products are sliced, minced or packed in an approved Bord Bia processing facility outside RoI and offered for sale in RoI, then the label must state where it has been packed (town and/or country),” Bord Bia said.
“This must be in a font size that is easily legible to the consumer and adjacent to the factory stamp.
“Further processing as described above can take place only at a processing facility that has been audited and verified under the Bord Bia Quality Assurance scheme, with full traceability of product assured.”
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