ICSA anger over Brazilian beef rules
ICSA president Malcolm Thompson, who led the delegation, said EU beef farmers could not understand why they were expected to compete on different terms against Brazilian imports.
“EU farmers are fed up with the ever-higher traceability and animal identification standards, the high penalties for the slightest shortcomings and then seeing their product undermined in retail and catering outlets by cheap Brazilian beef,” he said.
Mr Thompson said the ICSA purpose in meeting the commission officials was to urge them to keep up the pressure for more stringent traceability and identification requirements in Brazil.
Brazilian beef imports, paying the full tariff, have increased from 25,000 tons to over 100,000 tons per annum since the start of the millennium.
But inspections carried out by the Food and Veterinary office (FVO), under the aegis of the Health and Consumer Protection directorate, have shown there are ongoing shortcomings in Brazilian traceability.
For example, the 2003 report on Brazil pointed out that only 10-20% of animals are checked on arrival at slaughterhouses. Even when this check is carried out, animals are accepted as EU eligible despite lacking ID.
Mr Thompson said the work of the inspectors in identifying and reporting these shortcomings is critically important.
