Farmers demand Brazil beef import ban

European Commission chiefs today rebutted Irish farmers’ demands for an EU ban on Brazilian beef imports.

A report compiled by the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) and the Irish Farmers’ Journal claims the South American country was flouting cattle traceability procedures and using illegal hormones.

The IFA said the half a million tonnes of Brazilian beef imported into the EU every year are placing food safety at an unacceptable risk.

However, the Commission today hit back by claiming the IFA allegations were based on previously published information and were misleading.

It said that the farms visited by the IFA delegation in Brazil were in two states which are already banned from exporting beef to the EU, and in a third state which is only partly authorised.

The Commission also claimed the IFA did not visit any slaughterhouses, laboratories or veterinary offices in the country.

EU Commissioner for Public Health and Food Safety, Markos Kyprianou, said: “Overall, the allegations in the report were based on an incorrect interpretation of EU requirements for beef imports.

“My officials are constantly monitoring the situation in Brazil as regards beef exports issue. Our decisions on food imports are based solely on food safety and protection of health, irrespective of economic interests. We are prepared to propose any additional measures necessary to protect EU consumers”.

The IFA report will today be presented to the European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

The IFA’s dossier also highlights the alleged widespread illegal tag removal from cattle by Brazilian farmers, which is used to trace the source of animals before they are slaughtered.

The IFA delegation also said they filmed farmers using hormone growth promoters that are banned in the EU and a DVD of the footage will be provided to the committee.

The presentation will be given by IFA Livestock Chairman John Bryan, who visited the country with colleague Kevin Kinsella and Farmers’ Journal reporter Justin McCarthy.