Offaly IFA chair says signing Mercosur trade deal would be 'thundering disgrace'

FARMER opposition to the proposed Mercosur trade deal with four South American countries has hardened since shocking revelations about animal health standards in Brazil, a breakfast meeting in Tullamore heard on Friday.

The trade deal – described as the EU's largest ever with another bloc – would result in hundreds of thousands of tonnes of additional beef being imported from the Mercosur countries, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.

An agreement on lower tariffs is key to the draft deal, farmers at the meeting in the Bridge House Hotel were reminded, as are exports from Europe of aeroplanes, cars and pharmaceuticals, products which are especially important to the economies of France, Germany and Italy.

However, a joint IFA and Irish Farmers Journal investigation in Brazil recently found that regulations governing animal health are extremely lax in that country and animal medicines which are either banned or prescription-only in the European Union are available over the counter on request.

In spite of that, the EU is pressing ahead with a view to concluding the Mercosur deal and opening the breakfast meeting, Pat Walsh, chair of Offaly IFA, gave his reaction: “They're going to go ahead, and feck food quality, and that'll be a thundering disgrace.”

A keynote speaker at the meeting, Declan Hanrahan, national livestock chair of the IFA, pointed out that the Mercosur deal had been 20 years in the making and reminded all present that at the birth of the talks “there was no equivalence in standards” between the South American countries and the EU.

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Mr Hanrahan said the EU “prides itself on standards” but the deal as proposed “laughs in the face of all of that”.

Along with the problems around medicines, the IFA/Irish Farmers Journal probe found no national traceability system for Brazil's 238 million cattle.

There is also no credible means to certify that Brazilian beef is meeting EU import requirements.

All of this was happening at a time when a stringent animal medicines regime was put in place in Europe resulting in a consequent reduction in anti microbial resistance.

Brazilian farmers are also using food additives which are banned by the EU.

EU officials have reacted to the findings of the Brazil investigation but Mr Hanrahan described the response as “pathetic”, saying Europe has said the South American country should look after their own standards.

“They tell you the safeguards are working. They're not working,” said Mr Hanrahan (pictured below).

He called for a suspension of beef imports from the Mercosur countries and pointed out that Dr Patrick Wall, the vet and medical doctor who is professor of health at UCD, has spelled out his concerns.

A document circulated at the Tullamore gathering quoted Dr Wall (former head of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland) saying: “Public health cannot be compromised or selectively applied to facilitate trade deals.”

Mr Hanrahan declared: “We believe this beef should not be coming into Europe and that's the stand we're taking.”

A demonstration in Brussels is scheduled for December 18 – with IFA leader Francie Gorman planning to personally drive a tractor in the city.

The IFA expects farmers across Europe to oppose the proposed deal, which Mr Hanrahan said is being pushed by EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

The IFA livestock chief is hoping a blocking majority can be aligned against the proposal in the European Parliament.

“If Ursula goes to sign it and the European Parliament goes against her, she's in trouble.”