Beef farmers seek light from Brazilian woe

By Pat O'Keeffe

Irish beef farmers are this week hopeful that the trade for finished cattle will benefit from this week's confirmed outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease in Brazil.

The South American country, with a cattle herd of almost 200 million, has become the dominant player in the beef export trade and disruptions to their exports would be expected to benefit Ireland.

Competitors and handlers await the judges' decision during the final line-up at the Pedigree Hereford Show and Sale held at Roscommon Mart this week.

As the Farmers Journal went to press on Wednesday, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) was expected to accept the EU Commission's recommendation to ban imports from two regions in Brazil - Mato Grosso do Sul and Parana.

Bord Bia say that the short term impact is limited as beef already in transit is not affected by any ban. Obviously, the extent of any positive implications for Ireland depends on the extent and duration of the outbreak and trade bans that inevitably follow. For example, Russia automatically imposed a 60-day import ban on Brazilian beef following Monday's outbreak.

Irish farm organisations this week strengthened their calls for a blanket ban on Brazilian beef imports. IFA livestock committee chairman John Bryan said that the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea have all banned the importation of Brazilian beef for health reasons.

"The most serious risk with Brazilian beef is its unknown origin and lack of traceability. The most recent EU report from the Food and Veterinary Office on Brazil states that only 16.5m cattle out of a total population of 200m are identified,'' he said.

John Bryan accused the EU Commission of operating double standards in failing to implement the same high level regulations on identification and animal health controls on Brazilian imports as those applied to producers in Europe.

Meanwhile, Pat O'Rourke said the outbreak confirmed ICMSA's belief that a serious risk to Irish and EU animal health remained so long as any Brazilian beef was imported, and the failure of Ireland and the EU to act decisively could cost Irish farming dear. He added that Brazilian beef currently in Ireland should be withdrawn immediately and incinerated under Government supervision. There should be no question, either, of resumption of beef imports from any region that is not completely free of FMD and other highly contagious disease for the extended period.

However, sources within the Department of Agriculture expressed a reluctance to press for a blanket ban, as Ireland availed of the regionalisation approach in response to our own outbreak in 2001.

John Bryan, IFA, said beef cattle prices have turned the corner this autumn, with factories paying €2.46/kg (88p/lb) for R grade steers this week to get supplies.

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