Reports that the EU could reach a deal with Mercosur countries as early as next week have been described as a “huge step backwards” by the Irish Creamery and Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) president Pat McCormack.

McCormack said the possibility of a deal, just days after Ireland launched its Climate Action Plan, was surreal. He was reacting to comments made by European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan who said a deal would be done next week “with the right circumstances”.

McCormack said farmers and environmental groups were against beef imports from countries where production was on an industrial and utterly unverified fashion from vast areas that have been crudely deforested.

Climate plan

Days after Ireland launched its “very challenging” climate plan, McCormack said it was impossible to comprehend how people were meant to react. He said Ireland would be party to an agreement that acted as an incentive to South American countries to ramp-up destruction of native forests.

He questioned how farmers were meant to take the plan seriously if the EU made an agreement that could result in the worsening of “one of the planet’s most blatant environmental threats”.

“What is the point in urging the public and EU farmers to change practices if we are to deal with climate change while agreeing to a deal that’s going to see one of the planet’s most blatant environmental threats actually worsen?

“A Mercosur agreement is even worse than stopping any forward progress. It will be a huge step backwards, and again highlights the massive contradictions in EU policy,” McCormack said.

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