EU move on Brazilian beef 'vindicates' farmer concerns
Farmers have welcomed a total ban on beef from Brazil entering the EU from Thursday (September 3).
Irish MEP Ciaran Mullooly has said that the office of the EU's health chief confirmed the decision to him.
According to the MEP, he was informed in a meeting that a full prohibition on beef from Brazil will commence from this Thursday, with the exception of beef that may have already left Brazil before that day.
Farmer concerns
Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) president Sean McNamara said this "vindicates concerns" that the ICSA and farmers have been raising for years.
“ICSA has been warning for a long time that Irish beef farmers cannot be expected to compete with Brazilian beef when there are serious questions about whether the same standards apply," McNamara said.
"Now the EU has taken action because Brazil cannot demonstrate compliance with EU requirements on antimicrobial use.
"That is a very significant decision and it backs up what farmers have been saying."
McNamara said Irish beef farmers put a "huge amount of work and money" into meeting high standards.
"They should not have to compete against imports where the same standards cannot be demonstrated," the ICSA president said.
"This is also about consumers. People buying beef should be able to have confidence that it has been produced to the standards farmers here are required to meet.
"But there is another issue here that the government needs to take seriously. Brazilian beef remains eligible to enter Great Britain and Irish beef has already lost significant ground in the UK market."
Risk
McNamara said with Brazilian beef shut out of the EU market, there is a "real risk" that more of it will be redirected towards the UK.
"That would put even more pressure on Irish beef in a market that is so important to our farmers," he said.
"We cannot stand by and allow Irish farmers to lose further ground.
"The government needs to be watching this closely and making sure the interests of Irish beef farmers are not pushed aside.
"The EU ban applies in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework, and we need proper enforcement and traceability to make sure the EU rules are fully respected."
McNamara added that the ICSA has been making the case for a "level playing field" for Irish beef farmers for years.
"There must be no watering down of this decision," he said.
"Brazil should only regain access to the EU market if and when it can verifiably demonstrate that it meets the standards that all European farmers are required to meet."
