IFA vows to continue its defence of the Irish beef sector after protest

THE Irish Farmers’ Association yesterday concluded its sit-in protest in the EU’s offices in Dublin, but vowed to continue its defence of the Irish beef sector.

IFA president John Bryan welcomed a vote yesterday by the European Parliament in support of a report by Greek MEP Georgios Papastamkos heavily criticising the EU Commission’s weak stance on the Mercosur trade negotiations.

Yesterday, the IFA’s livestock committee protestors were speaking out about the threat which imports to the EU of South American beef would pose to Irish beef farmers.

John Bryan said the overnight protest by livestock farmers at the Commission offices in Dublin and today’s decision by the Parliament showed that there is very strong opposition to the EU/Mercosur trade negotiations and the damaging impact on agriculture.

The IFA president said: “This is a strong message to the Commission by members of the European Parliament that they have gone too far with the Mercosur negotiations, and have failed to properly consult the EU Council or the democratically-elected Parliament.”

Mr Bryan said the negotiations pose a multi-billion euro threat to the European and Irish agriculture sector and the European Commission cannot allow agriculture and food security to be sacrificed. A recent COPA study has put the cost of a deal for the European beef and livestock sector at up to €25bn.

With the negotiations set to resume in Brussels in the next week, he said the European Commission cannot give in to the South Americans and must safeguard the fundamental principle of community preference in the Common Agriculture Policy.