IFA calls for Argentinean beef ban

IRISH farm leaders yesterday called for a ban on beef imports from South America where Argentina is the latest country to confirm an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

The outbreak was discovered among 70 animals on a farm near the border with Paraguay. It is the first outbreak of the contagious disease since August 2003 in Argentina, the fifth largest beef exporter in the world.

A ban on imports from the region where the outbreak was confirmed is now likely to be imposed by countries worldwide.

Argentina exports 300,000 tonnes of beef a year to the European Union and Russia.

Following the news, Chile moved to suspend imports of Argentine beef, while Brazil said it was introducing more stringent import restrictions on Argentine livestock.

Farmers in Ireland have been protesting for several years about the rising levels of South American beef imports, especially from Brazil. The volume of imports from Argentina is believed to be small.

IFA Livestock Committee chairman John Bryan yesterday called on the European Commission to take determined action to prevent the spread of foot and mouth through meat imports from Argentina.

He called for a complete ban on imports from South America where, he claimed, border controls were inadequate and animal traceability was non-existent.

Brazil is still under a ban by 56 nations since the end of 2005 as a result of the disease detected in its southern states.

ICSA Beef Committee chairman Robin Smith said he was shocked, but not surprised to hear that there has been an outbreak in Argentina and called for an immediate EU ban on beef imports from the country.

“Does anyone in Brussels remember the devastation this disease caused all over Europe in 2000? And now we are opening our doors and inviting it back in? This is nothing short of madness,” he said.

Mr Smith said the lack of good animal husbandry, traceability, and high standards in food production in South America will take its toll on the health and welfare of Irish consumers if there is not an immediate ban.

“Every Irish man, woman and child is entitled to know that the food they consume is safe, and the EU must act quickly to ensure that this is the case,” he said.