IFA mission ‘proves’ Brazil beef fears

THE Irish Farmers’ Association claimed yesterday that a mission to Brazil in which it took part has produced evidence which proves there is a total lack of effective controls and standards in that country’s beef sector.

Livestock Committee chairman John Bryan, who took part in the IFA/Farmers Journal investigation, said they found evidence of non-existent cattle traceability and widespread illegal removal and cutting out of tags.

He said inadequate cattle movement and foot and mouth disease controls and hormone growth promoters use were found.

Mr Bryan called on the European Commission to impose a total ban on all Brazilian beef imports.

He accused EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou of pursuing a politically-motivated trade agenda on Brazilian beef imports.

This was placing the consumer and livestock sector at an unacceptable risk, he said.

Mr Bryan said there is no effective traceability system in Brazil. There is no cattle-tagging on the majority of farms. On the few farms where there were tags, removal of tags in order to facilitate illegal movement were found.

“It is clear from our visit the movement of cattle from foot and mouth disease restricted states into ‘clear’ states is widespread,” he said.

Mr Bryan said this makes a sham of EU foot and mouth policy.