An Irish MEP has said that a proposed new EU rule on deforestation is “a threat to the Irish beef industry”.
Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú said that “crunch talks” are underway in Brussels today (Thursday, September 26) to pressure the European Commission to delay implementing the anti-deforestation measure.
Ní Mhurchú said that the measure could negatively impact the Irish beef sector, and she called on the commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, to delay introduction of the rules until a new simplified process for beef farmers can be introduced.
Ní Mhurchú was speaking following a meeting with Irish farming representatives.
The MEP said that the measure will mean more “red tape” for beef farmers and the beef industry in general.
The anti-deforestation laws were voted through the European Parliament in 2023 as part of proposals which were designed to protect against deforestation.
Under the new rules, producers of beef products, wood, and other related commodities will need to demonstrate that their products are deforestation-free, and not farmed on land which has been deforested.
“Irish farmers will have to provide paperwork which includes the geolocation coordinates of the farm where the cattle were bred to show it is deforestation-free.
“Under the measures, cutting down trees on their own land could be considered ‘deforestation’, a designation that would block them from selling beef from that land on the EU market,” Ní Mhurchú warned.
“Farmers will also have to ensure they are not using animal feed that contains soy or palm oil that is driving deforestation abroad,” she added.
The Fianna Fáil MEP said that the regulations are “well-intentioned but ultimately flawed” and has called on the commission to delay them until a process can be arrived at to ensure that farmers are not unduly impacted by red tape or unnecessary paperwork.
“I understand the motivation of these regulations, which are designed to ensure that vast areas of forest lands in developing countries are not wiped out to make way for cattle grazing. The trouble is that we are inadvertently impacting our own domestic beef industry.
“The beef industry, and therefore beef farmers, will need to carry out a rigorous analysis of their supply chains to guarantee that the products they introduce into the market, or export, do not contribute to deforestation,” she added.
The new regulations are due to come into affect on December 30. Failure to comply could result in severe penalties, including fines, confiscation of goods, and exclusion from public procurement opportunities.
The rules were originally introduced to target large scale deforestation in areas such as South America and Indonesia.