Elaine over at The New Farmerette wrote an excellent post during the week about her experience of registering their sheep/lambs for the Bord Bia Quality Mark.
It was such a timely post, as we have been having a bad time with crazy bureaucracy this past week.
So I thought I’d share our experience thus far. It truly is a comedy of sorts! I hope you have the patience to read all the way through…
Back in early 2010 Alfie started questioning why was there no ‘mark’ for free-range pork? There is for chicken, but not for pork. There are ‘marks’ for organic pork, but nothing for free-range. We thought it would be a good accolade for Oldfarm Pork.
So the quest began. He approached Bord Bia (The Irish Food Board). They refused to talk to him as an individual farmer. There had to be an ‘association’. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but perhaps we should have seen the flashing lights at this point!
Anyway, Alfie continued on. He spoke to other free-range pig breeders and the Irish Free Range Association was formed – with about 20 people. Alfie was nominated as the Chairperson. And thus the long journey began, as Bord Bia would now talk to a free-range producer.
For 2 years every other month, Alfie travelled to Dublin to sit on the pig meat board. I might point out that the board is mainly made up of industry representatives who were not too keen on having the small producer represented.
Alfie’s hope had been that if they approved a ‘free-range’ label it would include ‘non gmo’ but there was absolutely NO WAY this was going to be allowed. (Says a lot about our food??? board)
At the end of the 2 years, a framework was agreed as to what the definition of ‘free-range’ was.
Hallelujah I hear you cry!
BUT WAIT!!
As Alfie had worked so hard on this, we thought we ought to be among the first to go through the whole process. And then the fun began!!!
In March we had a visit from the Bord Bia representative, a very nice man. He had never ever seen pigs in the outdoors! He told us we shouldn’t be allowing the hens to mix with the pigs????? Bird flu I think was the reason! And the best bit…. we shouldn’t have the wild birds landing in the fields! Righty oh, how am I to stop that???
He was rather shocked we didn’t have the vet’s number pasted on sheds everywhere… and was incredulous that we hadn’t had the vet in over 3 years!
When he left we were left with a list of procedures to put in place.
- A pig health plan
- A farm safety statement
- Water testing
- DNA testing
- Some signs to put up about the place
Nothing too onerous we thought.
We started with the water test. Alfie called the Environment Section of the County Council to arrange test. It cannot be done on line, you have to call in! The cost is €40. So we drove to Nenagh (a 50 mile round trip). Thankfully, I stayed in the car!!!! Alfie went into office….. you cannot pay for the water test with cash! you cannot pay for water test with card! you have to use cheque or postal order!!! See why I was glad I stayed in the car????
So a fuming pig farmer returned to car, we had to drive to post office, queue there and pay €2.90 to get a €40 postal order. Then drive back to County Council Office.
Test was carried out about 2 weeks later, and there were some minor impurities found in it, so it was suggested we re-test from a different tap. Another €40.00. The technician came back, did the second test and graciously accepted €40 CASH!!!
Water passed the test.
The next stage was the DNA test. The DNA test is arranged via the IFA. This time it was an expenditure of €80 in order to get the DNA tag and gun. Alfie risked life and limb sticking this ear tag into Polonius Hogworth on 15th May and sent it away. Up to this week we had not had a reply, so Alfie called them.
The sample has still not been examined! Could we have a receipt at least to say we’ve sent you the DNA sample? You should see what they sent us? A blank sheet of paper – not headed paper – it could have come from anywhere! I could have typed it up myself.
Oh, and by the way, they were shocked to hear we wanted a copy of the results of the DNA test! They don’t usually issue that? WTF did we pay the €80 for? I could have sent them a photo of Polonius to prove he is a pig… a big one, almost as big as a small horse, but he’s all pig.
Polonius Hogworth I
If you’ve read this far, I’m sure you’re thinking it can’t get any worse??? You’re wrong?
IT CAN.
Last week Alfie rang Bord Bia to get a list of ‘Quality Approved’ butchers and abattoirs. Well boys and girls….. the only place we can send our pigs to is to one of the major processors! The giants like Rossderra and Kepak.
There are no small artisan butchers or abattoirs approved. I would suspect the annual fee of €2,200 would certainly play a part in this.
We are not willing to send our pigs to the big boys…. we may not get our own pig back.
So where do we go from here?
Alfie wants to continue to see a project he began over 2 years ago through to an end.
Personally, I would like to walk away. We have so far wasted so much time, effort and money on this. Anyone else have any thoughts?
A Year In Redwood 
Wow! Talk about going through hoops! I hope you do get the quality mark.
Thanks Johann…. I’m not sure I have the energy, but Alfie is a bit like a terrier about it right now 🙂
Walk away … seriously. Hats off to Alfie for wanting to finish what he started xx
I’d love to. I’m not sure I am going to convince Alfie though…. bit between his teeth on this one!
Free-range farmed: A type of animal husbandry where pigs have free access to
fields/woodland with defined boundaries for all or most of their natural life. They
receive their nutritional needs from prepared NATURAL FEED or from pasture or forage
depending on the season.
The term Natural feed was substituted as Bord bia would not allow the term “GMO free”, Although under EU law “natural food” means just that, Gmo free.
OMG your fingertips must have been on fire typing this. I have to say half way thru reading this I was so furious that I had to get up and walk away. Like Alfie I too would want to see this thru but it’s not worth it. Take Mona’s advice. Walk away. It would be better for your health and your pigs health..
Ena, did you not hear the pounding of the keyboard in Dublin? 🙂 It took me days to convince Alfie to let me write this, but I think people ought to know the hoops and nonsense that goes on!
I’d be inclined to form my own health mark. Get a group of like minded producers…… Origin green my you know what.
You know Maggie you may well be right! If we could form a free range breeders association why not our own ‘mark’?
I love that idea … it would be ‘trusted’ too … brilliant that Maggie one is for the ideas!
Thanks Mona….. it might be a good diversionary route to get Alfie away from the current one! 🙂
M
Jeeez! Beaureaucracy is a myth! I truly wonder if the idiots who somehow get to be “in charge” know what the frigg is going on.
You’d be interested to know that here in Maine farmers started their own organization. It’s called MOFGA and if a farmer or veg grower is allowed to be registered as a member of MOFGA then they are organic etc.
Now they have enough clout to affect the law making in Maine in regards to exactly what you and Alfie are fighting for. Keep on keeping on!!! The public are behind you!
Thanks Lisa-Marie. It is good to know we have support when at times you feel you are banging your head off the wall!
M & A. I think you should persist. Get the mark IN SPITE of the red tape and the doors being shut in your faces. Document absolutely everything you give them. Only pay with postal order, only send documents by registered post – requiring them to sign for the documents. Hound them, ring them once a week for an update.
I suspect I may be like A. This would be a red flag to a bull for me. I’d keep on going until I got it!
Thanks Caitriona, I’m sure Alfie will persist. He has put so much work into it so far!
Ha Catriona, Your lucky for your sake that your nothing like me, do you want to be thought of as . “in your face”, “pain in the ass”, “opinionated”, “stubborn” ,”dogged” ,”large Ego”,”rarely wrong” [did say large ego], “not PC”, “picks rows with apathetic ass holes in public”[just for fun].
Hater of Politicians , bureaucrats, wannabes and pretentious Foodies and food bloggers who think tweet ups and coffee mornings are de rigueur rather than highlighting the real issues with food. Oh and I’m Male..lucky your nothing like me.
All this just to be recognised for free-range top quality product???? Beggers belief that “marks” seem to be awarded willy-nilly for supermarket meats. You both, and others like you doing what you do, deserve better. If ever there was someone who will get what he wants from them, it will be Alfie.
You have great confidence in him 🙂 But he won’t give up 🙂
unbelievable stuff- a real foil to anyone wanting to grow a small food business in this country-which is probably why we have so few. Even harder if you want to produce real food which the authorities know little about and care about even less. The costs involved in sourcing gm free feed are spiralling while no mention of it is required in the end produce. So much for the green food isle!
Unfortunately it’s gonna take a big food scare to change this one- but in the mean time keep up the good work M&A and don’t let the f…ers grind you down.
Thanks Mark… your comment has brought a giggle here! Need a giggle to cope with the frustration 🙂
The food scare is a reality , only its kept very quiet..This is what happens when Pigs/animals are fed commercial rations.. http://sustainablepulse.com/2013/06/11/evidence-of-gmo-harm-in-pig-study/#.Ub8MOPnVDs6
and why is our Govt not doing more to investigate and protect us.
I definitely think ye should form your own ‘mark’, as a consumer I would have more faith in that than one which doesn’t exclude GM foods.
It’s crazy and depressing that good producers recieve such poor treatment
Elizabeth thank you for reading and for your comment. I know it never ceases to amaze me that animal feed is labelled as containing gm but food for human consumption doesn’t!
Margaret
Quite right too Alfie. I’m glad I’m not a man. 😉
I deal with a number government/semi state bodies with red tape on a weekly basis though and it is frustrating and no I never give up. I know you won’t either.
I saw red for a few days after reading this! took me a while to be able to comment. This is crazy stuff, totally disgraceful. And with all this quality marks and checks, where were they when all the horses were being mixed with beef and pork?! A lot of nonsensical red tape designed to keep the little producers down and give advantage to the big ones! You don’t need a mark, your pork is THE BEST and its flavour and your service speak for themselves, the hell with ‘the mark’ !! Raging for you! 😦
Lily, thank you so much for such support. I am of the ‘walk away’ from it mind…. but Alfie still has the bit between his teeth on this one!
Latest email sent to Identigen.[a few mins ago] .wonder what the reply will be..5 weeks on.
Good Morning G………….
Re the Dna test. A completion date for this test would be appreciated. As a paying customer I would expect a more efficient service from a company supposedly at the top of their field, not the shoddy service which I have so far experienced.Shame on you @Identigen.
I await your reply.
Alfie Mc Caffrey.
Hi Mags & Alfie
Restaurant Awards, Best Tourist Destination in Ireland Award, Irish Music Award, Best Blog in Ireland Award, Best Place to Work Award, Best Practice Award, Best Retail Experience Award, Best Place to Holiday Award, Best Place to Eat Award, Best Artisan Producer Award, Retail Excellence Awards, Best in Ireland Award, Quality Food Mark, Guaranteed Irish Mark etc….
All of these awards are given out every year in Ireland by people, committees and organisations who have decided that they have the knowledge to judge and the authority in their field to do so. They have been accepted by others as such and therefore assume the responsibility of their judgement.
A FREE-RANGE/GMO-FREE mark issued by the nationally acknowledged body The Irish Free Range Association, which is made up of farmers who are transparently passionate in preserving their products as GM free, would count as a Qualification of Quality to me and many others. So I’d say print them out and stick them on guys!
And in a while, if someone else decides they have a better qualified mark that says exactly the same thing, then maybe they’ll give you one of them too!
🙂 Zack
Thank you Zack! I do think it is the way to go…. just do it OUR way!
Coming late to the fair but like Alfie I’ve found myself on those committees, tearing my hair out. The favourite Bord Bia and Teagasc excuse for the refusal to allow GMO free labelling is that EU regulations allow for a small amount of GM contamination in human and animal food, so it isn’t actually GMO free. I’ve never managed to get an answer to why we can’t call it GMO free if we produce the feed ourselves and can prove it isn’t contaminated but there you go. Speaking personally I long since took the route of only buying meat derived from animals I’d had the opportunity to get to know socially so I know exactly what is being fed to them, what their living conditions are, what their dying conditions are and how they’ve been butchered. If this means we sometimes do without meat so be it (there are always hens in my back garden so I’m cheating a bit). I’m really, really glad you are taking a stand on the abbatoir situation. I wish there was an equivalent here of the mobile abbatoirs in the UK so animals could die stress free. But until there is then the only option is one of the few remaining small abbatoirs where they still seem to care about the animals they kill.
Way back when we set up the first organic certification system in Ireland we had to go through all the same hassle – government in Ireland seems incapable of learning. I think I’d go for the double – get the Bord Bia approval but stick it to them with an independent system.
Hoping to get to meet you some time soon
Thank you Kathryn, we have been overwhelmed by the level of support… which of course goes to prove that people do care and reiterates the fact that the so called ‘authorities’ should be listening to what people want!
Margaret
What a joke… I had no idea it was this bad. I guess if you want to play by the rules and get a label of ‘ree-range’ on your pork you have to sacrifice a whole list of things that make your business a lot less artisan, like having to use one of the large slaughterhouses. The fees they charge will surely be too high for small slaughterhouses and butchers. Well done on both of you for trying this, hats off! I wonder if it is the same in the UK… you should talk to Michaela from Tedfold Farm about this. She knows a lot about these things.
Very best of luck!
Best described as a nightmare and not completely sorted yet!!!!
Just wondering if you’ve got those DNA results back yet? Is he officially a pig?
Well, Kathryn, you are not going to believe this….. they claimed that they weren’t able to extract dna from the sample…. could we do another!!!! Alfie had to psyche himself up to stick another tag into Polonius… which he did last week, so we are still waiting.
If I came up with a story like that after all this time I think someone might suggest I’d lost the sample 🙂
Now! Now! We won’t even consider that 🙂
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