After each Bord Bia audit, all certified dairy and beef farmers receive a farm sustainability report from Bord Bia called the Farmer Feedback Report. The seven page report includes the following information:
- Graphs and tables summarising farm management activity.
- The farm’s carbon footprint.
- The percentage share of farm carbon emissions as a result of different farm activities.
- Advice on how to reduce farm emissions.
Farm Management Activity
There are five main sections in the report, and each is focused on a different farm management activity.
1. Productivity
The productivity section includes general farm information and a summary of the farm’s productivity. This is based upon the data provided by the farmer in the Sustainability Survey as part of the audit. It also includes data obtained by Bord Bia from AIMs, ICBF, and milk production data.
2. Greenhouse Gases
This section includes the farm’s carbon footprint and the percentage share of farm carbon emissions as a result of different farm activities. The percentage change in carbon footprint (increase or decrease) since the last audit is displayed and the average carbon footprint for farms within the same category and herd size.
3. Nutrient management (slurry and fertiliser application)
In the nutrient management section the first table shows when the farmer spread slurry and how close you are to the recommended timing of 70% in spring. There are two tables with information about your fertiliser use. The first table displays the quantity and type of fertilisers spread. The second table shows the chemical nitrogen application rates per hectare.
4. Grassland management
Under grassland management, you’ll find the herd’s grass-fed calculation. This is the percentage of your herd’s diet that comprises grass or grass-based forage, on a fresh weight basis. The second table on this page shows cattle housing and turnout dates, including the grazing season and housing period in days.
5. Farm Safety
The fifth section of the report covers the farm’s conformance with farm safety and provides a risk rating. The risk rating is based upon the farm’s conformity to safety aspects based upon findings during the audit.
The report is posted to farmers within approximately one week of certification. The report can also be accessed from farm.bordbia.ie using your herd number and PIN, which was received at your most recent audit. There is a ‘forget PIN’ option, which texts your PIN to the mobile number you have provided to Bord Bia. For further queries contact the Bord Bia Helpdesk on 01 5240410.
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