‘Livestock farming faces €350m hit’

A BILATERAL European Union trade deal with Brazil and other South American countries would decimate the livelihoods of 80,000 Irish livestock farmers and inflict losses of €350 million on the beef sector, it was claimed at a protest in Dublin yesterday.

The demonstration was staged by the Irish Farmers Association against a decision by the European Commission to reopen stalled trade negotiations with the Mercosur group of countries, comprising Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith confirmed Ireland has worked together with France, Austria, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary and Poland to prepare a paper for discussion on the decision at next Monday’s Agriculture Council in Brussels.