European inspectors should travel to Brazilian factories to ensure the meat exported to Europe under the Mercosur deal meets the required standard, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has said.
Referring to Chinese inspections of Irish meat plants, Minister Creed told a Dáil questions and answers session on the controversial deal that he saw similar inspections by European officials in Brazil.
“We have to stitch absolute conditionality into the legal text for access to Europe,” he said on Tuesday night.
We must use every lever at our disposal to ensure that the competition, when it arrives, is on a level playing pitch
“We need to engage with the FVO (Food and Veterinary Office), the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) and other bodies to make sure that we can guarantee European consumers are protected from substandard product,” the minister said.
Growth hormones
Reacting to repeated questioning from TDs about concerns about traceability of animals and use of growth hormones and veterinary medicines that are not allowed in Europe, Minister Creed said he concurred with concerns about the apparent lack of a level playing pitch.
He referred to the 2017 Carna Franca scandal, in which 1,000 Brazil police officers raided 30 factories across the country as part of Operation Weak Flesh.
Alleged sales of meat tainted by decay or salmonella were uncovered, along with corruption of officials to cover up the breaches. Over 20 public officials were suspended.
Legitimate concern
Minister Creed also referred to Brazilian “exposure to shoddy practice” and “disregard for environmental considerations” when acknowledging that farmers had legitimate cause for concern.
“We must make it legally watertight,” he said. “We must use every lever at our disposal to ensure that the competition, when it arrives, is on a level playing pitch.
“The legal document should protect, farmers from unfair competition,” he added.
“We will use the intervening [two-year legal scrubbing] period to thwart, diminish and frustrate the ambition of the headline agreement,” he insisted.
“We will use the time to ensure a levelling of the playing pitch so that they will have to meet the same standard on veterinary and traceability.”
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European inspectors should travel to Brazilian factories to ensure the meat exported to Europe under the Mercosur deal meets the required standard, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has said.
Referring to Chinese inspections of Irish meat plants, Minister Creed told a Dáil questions and answers session on the controversial deal that he saw similar inspections by European officials in Brazil.
“We have to stitch absolute conditionality into the legal text for access to Europe,” he said on Tuesday night.
We must use every lever at our disposal to ensure that the competition, when it arrives, is on a level playing pitch
“We need to engage with the FVO (Food and Veterinary Office), the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) and other bodies to make sure that we can guarantee European consumers are protected from substandard product,” the minister said.
Growth hormones
Reacting to repeated questioning from TDs about concerns about traceability of animals and use of growth hormones and veterinary medicines that are not allowed in Europe, Minister Creed said he concurred with concerns about the apparent lack of a level playing pitch.
He referred to the 2017 Carna Franca scandal, in which 1,000 Brazil police officers raided 30 factories across the country as part of Operation Weak Flesh.
Alleged sales of meat tainted by decay or salmonella were uncovered, along with corruption of officials to cover up the breaches. Over 20 public officials were suspended.
Legitimate concern
Minister Creed also referred to Brazilian “exposure to shoddy practice” and “disregard for environmental considerations” when acknowledging that farmers had legitimate cause for concern.
“We must make it legally watertight,” he said. “We must use every lever at our disposal to ensure that the competition, when it arrives, is on a level playing pitch.
“The legal document should protect, farmers from unfair competition,” he added.
“We will use the intervening [two-year legal scrubbing] period to thwart, diminish and frustrate the ambition of the headline agreement,” he insisted.
“We will use the time to ensure a levelling of the playing pitch so that they will have to meet the same standard on veterinary and traceability.”
Read more
Creed plans to seek legal limit on steak imports from Mercosur
Farmers fleeced on beef prices – Naughten
Factories hit a new low with young bull quotes of €3.55/kg
Exclusive interview: Hogan defends Mercosur deal
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