Therevelations around the antibiotic and hormone trade in Brazil expose a “deeply unsafe and deeply unfair” double standard in global beef trade, Independent Ireland TD Michael Fitzmaurice says.
The Roscommon-Galway TD, a cattle farmer himself, believes the Irish Farmers Journal investigation into production standards in Brazil strengthen the case for Ireland to oppose the Mercosur agreement outright.
The report “paints a stark picture of an industry operating far below EU standards on traceability, veterinary oversight, environmental protection, and public health,” he says. “Nothing in this report suggests Brazil has turned any corner,” he said.
“We’re talking about uncontrolled antibiotic sales, no proper animal-medicine records, ongoing traceability problems, and evidence of continued deforestation. Yet Irish farmers are expected to compete with that.”
“But Brussels is more interested in a trade deal with South America than protecting European farmers” he continues. “The Mercosur deal will destroy the incomes of cattle farmers in this country.”
Fitzmaurice believes that the safeguards put in place are unworkable. “You could see a 45% reduction in cattle prices in five years, but if that’s only a 9% fall each year, no supports would be triggered. And that’s not taking inflation, particularly input cost inflation, into account.
“It’s supposed to be a handbrake on Mercosur, but the cable is gone”.
“People need to understand what is at stake. Irish farmers are being regulated to within an inch of their lives – yet Europe is prepared to turn a blind eye to practices in Brazil that would shut a farm down here overnight. It’s self-sabotage.”
“This deal makes a mockery of the whole EU mantra of standing together, farmers are being sold down the Amazon river to click a box for climate,” he concludes.
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