Bar on Brazilian beef urged as EU finds multiple failings

Published on Tuesday 4 August 2009 21:52

DESPITE repeated promises that it would address the problems of traceability within its cattle herd, Brazil, the world's second-largest beef producer, appears no closer to satisfying Brussels and it is certain that no large-scale imports from that country will be permitted access to EU markets.

Early last year, the EU imposed a near-total ban on imports unless they were sourced from farms that had been approved by Brussels.

However, a report published yesterday by the EU Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) appeared to suggest that far from improving, the situation in Brazil was actually getting worse. Europe has two major concerns: a lack of robust information; and the fear that foot-and-mouth disease could make an unwelcome return to the EU.

The Republic of Ireland was first to highlight the potential risks almost two years ago, following an undercover investigation by several journalists.

Irish Farmers' Association president Padraig Walshe said: "With the FVO confirmation that the system in Brazil of verifying farms for export to Europe has effectively failed, the EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Affairs, Androulla Vassillou, must bring an immediate halt to the process that has cleared more than 1,200 Brazilian farms to date.

"It is now clear from several FVO reports that the Brazilian authorities are not capable or prepared to take the necessary steps to meet EU standards. The EU Commission is left with no choice but to reimpose a total ban on Brazilian beef imports."

The fine details of the FVO report make for grim reading, with 50 per cent of the EU-approved farms failing to meet the requisite protocols. Out of 12 farms inspected, six were found to be non-compliant. On three of the farms, EU inspectors uncovered fraudulent practices regarding tagging, movement controls and traceability.

On one farm, a department of agriculture official stamped and signed a movement notification backdated by seven months. On another, 50 animals were tagged and placed on the database 14 months after they were born. Another inspection discovered that 22 cattle had been re-identified following the loss of their original ear tags.

The FVO report highlights still more problems on a further three farms. On the first holding, a department official failed to take account of 1,264 cattle already present in the feedlot.

On two more units, the EU raised serious issues regarding conflicts of interest: department officials were also acting as veterinary surgeons, and in one instance the official actually owned some of the cattle. Failures in movement controls and traceability were also detected.

Walshe added: "The FVO inspection also identified serious deficiencies regarding certification and particularly in relation to fresh bovine meat consignments introduced into the EU for transit to third countries.

"It appears that more than 20 consignments were sent from Brazil and introduced to the territory of the EU for transit without the appropriate certificates."

Much of the beef in these consignments had not undergone maturation and 50 per cent of the product came from regions not approved for export to the European Union.