April 10, 2008

New call to keep EU ban on Brazilian beef

Brazilian beef must remain banned indefinitely as it continues to pose a major animal health and food safety threat to the EU, according to Padraig Walshe, president of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA).

According to Walshe, the EU Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) found and documented unreported foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks in Brazil and shortcomings in animal identification, holding registration and movement controls.

Brazilian officials could not provide the guarantees in respect of residency in approved areas and on approved holdings required by the EU, said Walshe.

The FVO report also shows that Brazilian authorities did not report a number of FMD cases last year, added Walshe.

A long list of failures on the notification and control of FMD appears in the FVO report, making a mockery of the EU Commission's claim that a regionalisation policy for the control of FMD can be successfully applied in Brazil, declared Walshe.

The only option is to keep the ban, Walshe said.