EU confirms ban on Brazilian beef

THE thousands of Irish farmers who supported the campaign to block Brazilian beef from Irish and EU markets are to be commended, according to Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly, ahead of the EU ban on imported beef from Brazil starting today (Thursday).

Confirmation came on Monday that Brazilian beef will be removed from the list of countries allowed to export certain meat products to the EU, after MEP Mullooly met with the European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi, over the weekend.

MEP Mullooly and his party colleague, Roscommon-Galway TD Michael Fitzmaurice, led a protest in Athlone last January against the proposed EU-Mercosur trade deal.

Concerns over the traceability and food safety standards with Brazilian beef have been raised in Ireland by a number of politicians, farming organisations and farmers for several months.

MEP Mullooly has said that the ban is a testament to the concerns that were highlighted.

“I want to congratulate the thousands of farmers who supported our campaign against Brazilian beef imports into Ireland and the European Union,” said MEP Mullooly.

“The enormous mobilisation of farmers in Athlone earlier this year demonstrated the strength of feeling on this issue. This shows that people power, when backed up by scientific evidence and legitimate food-safety concerns, can make a difference.

“Trade agreements, including Mercosur, cannot become a back door through which food produced to standards that would not be acceptable within the European Union is placed in competition with Irish and European farmers.”

The UK has not taken the same stance on Brazilian beef as the EU, which is something that MEP Mullooly said must be monitored here.

“We must now be extremely vigilant about Brazilian beef entering Northern Ireland and the potential implications for farmers, processors and cross-border trade,” offered the Independent Ireland MEP.

“Northern Ireland farmers are required to operate to very high standards and should not find themselves competing with Brazilian beef produced under standards that the European Union itself has determined are insufficient for access to its market.”