Bord Bia Farmer Forum

The Bord Bia Farmer Forum

The Bord Bia Farmer Forum is an opportunity to take part in open dialogue, share constructive feedback, and help shape the work that supports Irish farming and the wider agri-food sector.

What is the Farmer Forum?

The Farmer Forum brings together approximately 100 active Quality Assured farmers and growers, who have the opportunity to share constructive feedback, insight, and dialogue with Bord Bia.

The Farmer Forum will meet three to four times per calendar year, at a central location, with each session lasting a full day. The Farmer Forum is supported by a committee of 12-18 members who will develop the agenda for each session and consolidate and agree actions arising. The committee comprises of representatives from the farm organisations Macra, IFA, IGGG, ICSA, ICMSA and INHFA and independent farmer members of the Farmer Forum.

Further quality assured farmers and growers will be engaged with through the Farmer Forum roadshow which will be launched later in the year.

What will the Farmer Forum discuss?

Discussions at each session will focus on issues and topics impacting farmers, as well as areas relevant to Bord Bia’s role and remit. See further information below on the scope of the Farmer Forum.

What are the criteria to join?

Open to all farmers and growers who are actively farming on a Bord Bia Quality Assured farm.
Open to full-time and part-time farmers and growers.
Applicants are not required to be the named herd/flock owner.
Current members of Bord Bia boards, sub-boards and technical advisory committees cannot apply.

How can you apply?

To be considered for the Farmer Forum, members had the opportunity to complete a short application form. The Farmer Forum participants were randomly selected in order to represent a broad mix of enterprise types, regions, and demographics.

Any information gathered will be treated confidentially.

The deadline for receipt of applications was May 20th, 2026.

Any information gathered will be treated confidentially.

The deadline for receipt of applications was May 20th, 2026.

The Bord Bia Farmer Forum will, insofar as possible:

- Include approximately 100 farmers / growers / producers.

- Be representative across all key enterprise types, including beef, dairy, sheep, pig, poultry, egg, edible horticulture, and amenity horticulture.

- Be representative across all regions / counties in the Republic of Ireland.

- Reflect a wide diversity of farmer types including scale; age; gender; full-time and part-time farmers.