As was the case throughout the rise of Ireland’s green image, ‘‘sustainability’’ was the buzzword at the BE Brasil conference held in Brussels last week.

The event, held by Apex-Brasil – the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Authority – consisted of three sessions and was seen as a means to put Brazilian agriculture in the shop window, bolstering EU-Brazil trade relations.

In his opening address, Ambassador Roberto Jaguaribe, president of Apex-Brasil, said that it was time to ditch the misconceptions about Brazilian agriculture.

“It’s high time for a new understanding. The prejudice and misinformation must stop – we now have the same level of food safety and quality as the EU.”

There is no denying that Brazil has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, making huge strides in reducing the social and environmental impact of its agricultural industry.

Positives

The congregation learned how annual deforestation was reduced by 82% between 2004 and 2014.

Between 1976 and 2015, yields of grain from a given land area have increased fourfold.

Cracks in the panel’s message became evident when the Irish Farmers Journal questioned the president of the Brazilian Cattle Breeding Committee about the traceability of the country’s cattle herd

In terms of beef production, national output increased by 38% between 1995 and 2010, yet pastureland area decreased by 2% during the same period.

Cracks in the message

And, yet, cracks in the panel’s message became evident when the Irish Farmers Journal questioned Antônio Pitangui de Salvo, president of the Brazilian Cattle Breeding Committee, about the traceability of the country’s cattle herd (listen below).

Less than 10% of Brazil’s 218,000,000 head cattle herd was registered in 2007. A straight answer was not given about the percentage now. Furthermore, in Brazil, ‘‘traceability’’ for the final 90 days pre-slaughter is sufficient and this is adequate to meet EU import requirements.

Listen to “Is Brazilian beef really traceable?” on Spreaker.

Comment

Although our high levels of traceability came into being as a result of attempts to control diseases such as TB and brucellosis (and were driven to the current level by the BSE crisis), they are now used as a marketing tool – “farm to fork”.

While the European Commission deems that 90 days is sufficient traceability for Brazilian beef to enter the EU at present, consumers must be informed of the relative differences between these and native products. Traceability cannot have two meanings.

Bureaucrats must consider the lengths that native European producers and indeed processors go to in meeting these standards

While every one of the speakers acknowledged that the country was “on a journey” towards sustainability, it is important to take into account how far ahead many European nations are of Brazil on this journey.

Bureaucrats must consider the lengths that native European producers and indeed processors go to in meeting these standards – all driven by prevailing consumer demands. The costs incurred in achieving these standards have to be recognised.

Should a free trade agreement between Mercosur, of which Brazil is a prominent member, materialise, Europe accepting incoming beef categorised as ‘‘sustainably produced’’ and ‘‘traceable’’ in the same way that native European beef is marketed could be classed as ‘‘pulling the wool over the eyes’’ of a consumer population whose purchasing choices are increasingly driven by factors other than price. It is simply not comparing like with like.

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