July 27, 2007

Brazilian beef gains more protests

Protests mount over Brazil's beef exports as an Irish farm group accused the European Union of operating "double standards" on beef traceability.

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) led by president Padraig Walshe rallied Wednesday (July 25) at the EU Commission Office in Dublin, stating there was overwhelming evidence that the EU Food and Veterinary Office was "turning a blind eye to the glaring deficiencies and lack of controls on beef production in Brazil".

Walshe said the EU was accommodating beef from Brazil-- which they said traceability was a farce-- while European and Irish farmers are toiling to meet the highest standards imposed by the EU.

He also accused the EU of ignoring the risks posed by the systematic failures of Brazil to meet the most basic standards and controls. Walshe said he was appalled by the admission and acceptance by the EU Food and Veterinary Office in the European Parliament last week that they were presiding over and condoning such double standards.

Walshe also said that the Irish Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan was aiding and abetting the European Commission bureaucrats in the cover-up of double standards on beef imports from Brazil. He said that last year the Minister said she had concerns with the equivalency of Brazilian standards with EU standards and she had raised this matter with the EU Commission. However, now, Walshe said, she had accepted the criticism of the farmers' association report on their mission to Brazil.

He said issues on Brazilian beef are too serious for an issue for doublespeak, stating the livelihoods of 100,000 livestock farmers are at risk.