The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has raised concerns with Bord Bia on the Origin Green standard being granted to some agri-food processors who continue to breach environmental regulations.
Bord Bia’s Origin Green programme currently caters for 300 food and drinks businesses, with the goal of improving sustainability to “achieve competitive advantage” needed to compete in global markets.
Three sites with membership of Origin Green sit on the EPA’s latest enforcement list of priority sites for poor environmental performance.
Among the most common environmental issues recorded by the EPA with agri-food processing sites are inadequate operation of waste water treatment plants, inadequate control over surface water discharges and breaches of emissions limit values.
“The EPA is aware that sites in the Origin Green scheme have had significant compliance issues, including being the subject of a recent or live prosecution. The EPA has raised compliance concerns with Bord Bia,” an EPA spokesperson told the Irish Farmers Journal.
Bord Bia recently met with the EPA to hear these compliance concerns, with the authority suggesting it is open to “evolve to support EPA compliance concerns with member companies”.
“Any potential changes to Origin Green membership will be reflected in the next iteration of the Origin Green membership requirements, which are updated on an annual basis,” Bord Bia said.
Gold standard
Bord Bia’s top Origin Green tier – gold – sees membership reviewed on a yearly basis by independent auditors and companies which have “demonstrated an overall exceptional performance within a given year” are eligible.
Bord Bia has said that any Origin Green member company flagged on the EPA’s enforcement priority list is contacted by an independent verification body to determine if the measures it has put in place to mitigate its poor performance are sufficient.
These measures are then included in the Origin Green sustainability plan and the progress is tracked.
“If adequate progress is not made against these measures within the required timeframe, membership of the Origin Green programme will be suspended and not reinstated until the issues have been addressed,” a spokesperson stated.
Failure to notify Bord Bia of a non-compliance, an environmental prosecution or of having been placed on the EPA’s priority list can also result in exclusion from the standard.
Farmer issues
In cases where a farmer member of a Bord Bia quality assurance standard fails to rectify an issue identified during an audit, there is a one-month close-out period to rectify the issue. When this farmer’s non-compliance is not rectified within this window, quality assurance certification is withdrawn and they are unable to reapply for certification for a period of six months.
Bord Bia did not specifically address queries on whether it believes that granting Origin Green membership to processors prosecuted for breaking environmental rules risks devaluing the Bord Bia brand or the wider reputation Ireland’s agri-food sector.
Overlap
The following Origin Green affiliated companies are on the EPA’s latest priority list:
North Cork Co-Operative Creameries Ltd, Co Cork – membership pending.Arrabawn Co-operative Society Limited, Co Cork – approved until 31 May 2024.Aurivo Consumer Foods Limited, Co Donegal – approved until 31 May 2024.Arrow Group Limited, Co Kildare (activities at a site licensed to agents including Dawn Farm Foods Ltd) – Dawn Farm Foods Ltd approved until 31 May 2024.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has raised concerns with Bord Bia on the Origin Green standard being granted to some agri-food processors who continue to breach environmental regulations.
Bord Bia’s Origin Green programme currently caters for 300 food and drinks businesses, with the goal of improving sustainability to “achieve competitive advantage” needed to compete in global markets.
Three sites with membership of Origin Green sit on the EPA’s latest enforcement list of priority sites for poor environmental performance.
Among the most common environmental issues recorded by the EPA with agri-food processing sites are inadequate operation of waste water treatment plants, inadequate control over surface water discharges and breaches of emissions limit values.
“The EPA is aware that sites in the Origin Green scheme have had significant compliance issues, including being the subject of a recent or live prosecution. The EPA has raised compliance concerns with Bord Bia,” an EPA spokesperson told the Irish Farmers Journal.
Bord Bia recently met with the EPA to hear these compliance concerns, with the authority suggesting it is open to “evolve to support EPA compliance concerns with member companies”.
“Any potential changes to Origin Green membership will be reflected in the next iteration of the Origin Green membership requirements, which are updated on an annual basis,” Bord Bia said.
Gold standard
Bord Bia’s top Origin Green tier – gold – sees membership reviewed on a yearly basis by independent auditors and companies which have “demonstrated an overall exceptional performance within a given year” are eligible.
Bord Bia has said that any Origin Green member company flagged on the EPA’s enforcement priority list is contacted by an independent verification body to determine if the measures it has put in place to mitigate its poor performance are sufficient.
These measures are then included in the Origin Green sustainability plan and the progress is tracked.
“If adequate progress is not made against these measures within the required timeframe, membership of the Origin Green programme will be suspended and not reinstated until the issues have been addressed,” a spokesperson stated.
Failure to notify Bord Bia of a non-compliance, an environmental prosecution or of having been placed on the EPA’s priority list can also result in exclusion from the standard.
Farmer issues
In cases where a farmer member of a Bord Bia quality assurance standard fails to rectify an issue identified during an audit, there is a one-month close-out period to rectify the issue. When this farmer’s non-compliance is not rectified within this window, quality assurance certification is withdrawn and they are unable to reapply for certification for a period of six months.
Bord Bia did not specifically address queries on whether it believes that granting Origin Green membership to processors prosecuted for breaking environmental rules risks devaluing the Bord Bia brand or the wider reputation Ireland’s agri-food sector.
Overlap
The following Origin Green affiliated companies are on the EPA’s latest priority list:
North Cork Co-Operative Creameries Ltd, Co Cork – membership pending.Arrabawn Co-operative Society Limited, Co Cork – approved until 31 May 2024.Aurivo Consumer Foods Limited, Co Donegal – approved until 31 May 2024.Arrow Group Limited, Co Kildare (activities at a site licensed to agents including Dawn Farm Foods Ltd) – Dawn Farm Foods Ltd approved until 31 May 2024. 
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