EU restricts imports of Brazilian beef

BEEF imports to the EU from Brazil will be severely restricted and reduced from early 2008 after veterinary experts agreed that the South American producers were not meeting EU standards.

The move was welcomed by Irish farmers who have been campaigning relentlessly over the past two years for a clampdown on beef imports — especially from Brazil — because of poor hygiene standards and endemic foot and mouth disease.

However, IFA president Pádraig Walshe said that while it welcomed the EU’s action, it believed there should be an all-out ban on Brazilian beef following the irregularities found by two IFA missions to the country.

Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan, who had been demanding restrictions, called for a ban for the first time following her meeting with EU Health Commissioner Markus Kyprianou in Brussels earlier this week.

Reports could not be verified that Ireland’s veterinary expert voted against the restrictions at yesterday’s meeting of the food chain and animal health standing committee because he wanted a ban. The committee is made up of experts from the member states.

Fine Gael MEP and agriculture expert Mairéad McGuinness described the move by the EU Commission and member states as “too little and very late in the day” but said that they were welcome.

The decision states that from the end of January beef will only be allowed to be imported from an approved and restricted list of holdings in Brazil, which are fully in line with EU import requirements and which meet strict criteria.

The IFA says this could be as few as 300 farms.