Paula Hynes: There's no point in discrediting our national storyteller

If Brazilian farmers were anything like Ryanair, they would be thriving on the amount of coverage their beef is getting in Ireland, from the perspective that there is no such thing as bad news, writes Cork dairy farmer Paula Hynes

I have even seen claims by an Irish MEP questioning whether Bord Bia was being paid by the EU to advertise Brazilian beef in 2025. File picture

It seems like every day recently the news has been dominated by beef. I sometimes think that if Brazilian farmers were anything like Ryanair, they would be thriving on the amount of coverage their beef is getting in Ireland, from the perspective that there is no such thing as bad news.

If it is not the less than 1% of beef being imported by Dawn Farm Foods from Brazil being discussed, it is that shipment of Brazilian beef that was found to contain traces of hormones. 

In the middle of that, some are trying to drag Bord Bia through the gutter. I have even seen claims by an Irish MEP questioning whether Bord Bia was being paid by the EU to advertise Brazilian beef in 2025.

Yet when there is a good news story about Irish beef, we as farmers let it slip under the radar.

Bord Bia is the envy of farmers outside Ireland. It is widely viewed as a success story in promoting Irish food and drink globally. 

We have always gotten on well with Bord Bia auditors. Yes, it can feel like a nuisance preparing for an audit, but I would much rather complete the one we have than the British equivalent. Ultimately, the auditing process tells our story on a global stage — and it has done so very effectively.

Rather than tearing Bord Bia to shreds publicly, we should be celebrating the fact that Ireland has the best steak in the world. The World Steak Challenge in November 2025 took place in London, where a 32-day aged Angus striploin from producer Dawn Meats — a firm it should be highlighted that is separate from the similarly named one at the centre of the Bord Bia row — was crowned World’s Best Steak, Europe’s Best Steak and World’s Best Grass-Fed Striploin. The steak is available in Lidl stores in Ireland.

This is a huge success story for Irish beef, particularly when a renowned Australian pure-bred Wagyu sirloin finished in second place. Even British media have expressed frustration that they cannot purchase the World’s Best Steak from Ireland in Lidl UK stores.

Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture

I listened to the entire Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture session where Larry Murrin answered questions. What struck me most was how little understanding some committee members appeared to have of global food production, Irish food production and how Bord Bia standards operate.

I would have expected the committee to have done some homework before questioning Mr Murrin. Several members seemed intent on lambasting the Bord Bia chairman and discrediting Dawn Farm Foods, rather than listening. Despite Mr Murrin clearly stating he was CEO of Dawn Farm Foods, one committee member still appeared confused two hours later, referring to Dawn Meats.

Some members did not know the value of the Bord Bia quality assurance bonus for cattle at factory level. Others were unclear on where the Quality Mark could be used. 

Concerns were raised about Brazilian beef containing traces of hormones or antibiotics being available in Ireland, despite the fact that Dawn Farms has never had a beef recall and operates its own food safety team, alongside undergoing more than 50 audits annually.

EU biosecurity

There is, of course, a serious issue with hormone and antibiotic use in Brazil — but not with all Brazilian beef. The EU is responsible for ensuring that beef containing illegal substances does not enter under the current high-tariff quota from South America.

As we know, beef containing illegal growth hormones entered the EU in 2025. It arrived in Germany, was shipped to Northern Ireland and then sold to three companies in the Republic. 

The product reportedly arrived in September. EU authorities identified the issue in November and notified Irish authorities in December — despite the beef having an expiry date of October 31.

That timeline should raise serious alarm bells, particularly regarding the EU Rapid Alert System.

While non-EU approved beef appears to be slipping through cracks at EU level, here in Ireland ABP is seeking redundancies at its Waterford facility, with a potential loss of 230 jobs. This is a direct knock-on effect of EU policy following the reduction of Ireland’s nitrates derogation on January 1, 2024.

It is hardly complex economics: fewer cows mean fewer calves, fewer beef cattle and fewer cull cows. Further livestock reductions will inevitably compound the impact.

The EU appears comfortable dictating agricultural policy, yet reluctant to take ownership of food safety lapses or employment consequences. Meanwhile, South Africa is experiencing its worst foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in history, with the president declaring it a national disaster.

FMD is highly transmissible. It can spread not only animal-to-animal, but also via contaminated food, equipment, footwear, clothing and human movement. Strengthening EU border biosecurity should be a priority.

Any disputes between farm organisations and Bord Bia should be resolved through constructive dialogue. At this stage, all parties need to play their part in reaching a resolution.

Irish food and drink has a strong global story to tell. We produce the world’s best steak and one of the top-selling premium whiskeys globally. Undermining our global storyteller makes little strategic sense.

Energy would be better directed toward ensuring the EU takes full responsibility for food safety, consumer protection and job security. Rather than asking sensational questions in Ireland, some MEPs might achieve more by asking robust questions in Brussels.