The Irish Government has been called on to consider an embargo on Brazilian grains by the Irish Grain Growers (IGG).

IGG said the Government had declared a climate emergency earlier in the year and should follow this with a ban on palm, soya and maize which are “in all probability genetically modified (GM)".

It said these grains were being fed to animals in the pig, poultry and grass-fed beef and dairy sectors.

In a statement, IGG said: “We take pride in exporting agricultural products all over the world with the aid of Bord Bia and our green image that we have built up, but with the world watching Brazil now, can we afford not to take steps and consider an embargo.”

Wildfires

International attention is firmly fixed on Brazil, as wildfires burn throughout the Amazon rainforest.

An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he was concerned with the situation and said Ireland would not back a Mercosur trade deal if Brazil did not protect the rainforest.

IGG said decisions on Mercosur were a number of years away and, in the meantime, grain was arriving in Ireland from Mercosur countries.

It called on other farm organisations to back a ban and have members insist on feed with full tractability.

IGG concluded by saying: “Finally, the biggest action should be taken by our citizens and consumers who buy Irish products, they must educate themselves more on the origin and the process involved in the food that they buy."