The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has announced its intention to hold an intensive lobby of all TDs and senators on the proposed Mercosur trade deal in Dublin tomorrow, Tuesday, July 9.

The event will place in the Davenport Hotel, 8-10 Merrion St. Lower, between 3:00pm and 5:00pm, according to the organisation.

Representatives from the IFA’s 29 County Executives will be in attendance, highlighting the damage that this deal will do on a number of levels – to the rural economy here, to the global environment and to consumers.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, July 10, an IFA delegation will travel to Brussels to meet other farm leaders who are opposed to the deal, according to the association.

The travelling team will include IFA president Joe Healy, livestock chairman Angus Woods and poultry chairman Andy Boylan.

A meeting will also take place with the EU Commissioner for Health and Food safety Vytenis Andriukaitis, who has responsibility regarding meat import standards.

Beef Plan protest

Meanwhile, also on Wednesday, the Beef Plan Movement will hold a protest on the same issue outside Dáil Éireann from 12:00pm onward.

A statement from the group has said the movement is also calling on all rural organisations and small businesses to join with the protest against “the latest EU attack on our family-farming model”.

Without a vibrant rural Ireland and sustainable farming sectors, the economic consequences will be far more widespread for the country.

The group is calling on all those “who rely heavily on the agricultural sector to join with them at the protest this Wednesday as well”.