Brazil beef import ban

A decision by Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan to ban beef imports from areas of Brazil where cases of foot and mouth disease have been confirmed, follows similar action by the European Commission.

She said the action was necessary to ensure that the national herd and the livelihoods of the farmers were not put at risk.

But the Fine Gael agriculture spokesperson, Denis Naughten TD, said the minister’s piecemeal approach was wholly inappropriate. He called for an “outright ban” as “Australia, Japan and the US have already taken.”