Update on Bord Bia farm audits

Our dairy farmers are continuing to participate in the BLQAS and SDAS schemes and we are hopeful that all suppliers will be members of this joint scheme by year end.

The Bord Bia Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme was developed to increase customer confidence by ensuring milk has been produced on farms under both Sustainability and Quality Assurance criteria.

The primary objectives of the Scheme are:

• To demonstrate to customers of dairy products that milk is produced on your farm sustainably under an accredited scheme
• To provide a uniform mechanism for recording and monitoring at farm level
• To set out the criteria for best practice in Irish dairy farming It is possible for you to complete both your Sustainability Dairy Assurance and Beef and Lamb Quality Assurance Scheme audit in one visit, saving time and being more cost effective.

• Both schemes have 80% of the requirements in common.
• Our dairy customers expect that all our suppliers are part of the Sustainable Dairy Scheme.
• The dairy element is fully based on the requirements of the EU Regulation 853 of 2004 formerly known as EU Regulation 92/46.
• All factory beef and cull cows must meet BLQAS requirements.
• By applying to be a participant in both schemes together, it saves you time when the Bord Bia Auditor calls to do the independent assessment.
• A carbon foot print will be calculated for your milk and beef production.

We have included below a completed example of an Animal Remedies Usage Chart. This is one of the key pieces of your audit and the Sustainability farm team are available to assist in completing these on farm.

To help prepare you to meet the SDAS and BLQAS standards, our milk advisory team can work closely with you on milk quality, sustainability and farm development. Contact Anne Browne or your Milk Quality Manager for further information and to complete an Open Source Dairy preparation assessment for the above audits.