20 MARCH 2017

ICSA president Patrick Kent has called on the EU to immediately ban all Brazilian beef imports in the light of the emerging scandal on shoddy practices in Brazilian meat plants and bribery of Brazilian officials. “The EU has been warned time and time again about the risks of South American beef imports. It is outrageous that the EU keeps giving a second chance to Brazil, even when the FVO (Food and Veterinary Office) reports have continuously shown major deficiencies in Brazilian beef practices.”

“Worst of all are the ongoing attempts to sacrifice quality EU beef production by negotiating bi-lateral trade deals with South American countries under the Mercosur talks. The impact of this would be to totally undermine Irish and other EU beef farmers by flooding the EU with cheap, sub-standard Brazilian beef.”

“Irish and EU beef consumers have nothing to worry about as long as they have an abundant supply of quality European produce. Irish farmers are made to jump through hoops and are highly regulated and the least we can expect is that their efforts are not sabotaged by cheap imports. Quality beef production costs money.  Most EU consumers want to feed their family the best and it is now time for the EU to prioritise healthy food and viable EU farmers over shady trade deals. The time for sacrificing EU beef farmers on the altar of free trade deals in order to make a few more billions for a handful of multinationals must stop immediately.”  

ENDS