Cattle farmers slam limited EU restrictions on Brazilian beef

Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) president Malcolm Thompson has said that today’s EU Commission decision to impose limited restrictions on Brazilian beef has undermined both farmers and consumers across Europe.

"Nothing less than a full ban is what is necessary to protect consumers from sub-standard, untraceable beef from Brazil," he said.

"European farmers are forced to comply with very high traceability standards in the interest of public health, but it does not seem to matter for Brazilian beef imports.

"The EU today has sent its own citizens a clear message that their health is unimportant, and this is totally unacceptable. This beef is not considered good enough for Japanese and US consumers, so why is it okay for us?"