‘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.

“We have made clear our very serious concerns at the possible impact of these negotiations. There is a belief that the announcement sends a highly negative signal for European agriculture, which is already faced with very significant challenges,” he said.

Mr Smith said Ireland and the other countries have asked the Commission to ensure the negotiations do not impair the social and economic balance of European agriculture.

IFA president John Bryan told yesterday’s protest at the European Commission offices in Dublin that the resumption of talks is an attempt by Brussels to agree a WTO deal on beef by the back door.

“This will have devastating consequences for our already low-income livestock sector and add tens of thousands to the dole queue,” he said.

Mr Bryan warned European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso not to sell out the Irish and European livestock industry to beef conglomerates and ranchers in Brazil.

He accused the Commission of double standards on climate change by attempting to engineer a deal to increase Brazilian beef imports produced on the back of massive destruction of the rainforest.

Mr Bryan said the Commission’s own Food and Veterinary Office has catalogued a series of reports, which highlight the consistent failure of Brazilian beef to meet EU standards.

He also called on Taoiseach Brian Cowen to intervene directly with President Barroso on the issue before an EU-Mercursor summit in Madrid next week.

President Barroso has already stated that a successful outcome to the talks can offer real benefits in jobs and growth for both sides.

“We will address any adverse impact on certain sectors with specific measures, in particular in agriculture,” he said.