Written answers

Tuesday, 8 April 2008

Department of Agriculture and Food

Beef Industry

9:00 pm

Photo of Seymour CrawfordSeymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 79: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if her Department has carried out analysis of the economic impact on the Irish beef industry of the decision to re-open Brazilian beef markets to the EU; if she has received copies of reports outlining the result of the most recent FVO visits to Brazil; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13034/08]

Photo of Mary CoughlanMary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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In 2007 Brazil exported some 360,000 tonnes to the EU. The current position is that less than 100 farms are approved to export to the EU. It is not possible for us to assess the % of exports that these farms constitute but it is widely accepted as being very small. A formal economic analysis has not been carried out nor would it be feasible. The sector has performed well over recent months with prices up 12% for steers, 11% for heifers and 15% for cows.

The Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) has prepared its report on the most recent mission it carried out to Brazil from 6 to 9 November 2007 to evaluate animal health controls in place in that country, in particular over foot and mouth disease and public health control systems and certification systems. I understand that the report will shortly be made available on its website.

Following on from the FVO's initial findings on this mission the Commission identified serious instances of non-compliance with regard to holding registration, animal identification and movement control and a failure to take corrective actions following commitments given to the FVO at earlier missions undertaken since 2003. While public health controls were considered to be adequate the Commission considered urgent measures were necessary to protect animal and public health in the face of these shortcomings.

In December the Commission introduced a proposal at the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) providing additional certification requirements as to the origin of beef for export to the EU. This requires that beef originates on holdings that provide for full identification and registration of animals under the national system and which are under veterinary control. The Commission's proposals seek to guarantee that exports to the EU originate from :

Bovine animals from holdings where animals have not been introduced from non-approved areas in Brazil during 90 days,

That they are identified and registered in the national identification system for bovine animals,

That the holdings are listed as approved holdings, following a favourable inspection and report by the Competent Authority, in TRACES and

Inspections are regularly carried out by the competent authority to ensure that the relevant requirements for export to the EU are assured.

I consider these arrangements, which included provisions to maintain exports to the EU for a transitional period, did not appropriately address shortcomings and risks identified in the previous missions and instructed my officials to vote against the Commission's proposal to introduce more restrictive measures rather than a complete ban.

In the period since the end of the transitional period on 15 March 2008 the relative absence of confirmations by the Brazilian competent authorities of holdings that are operating to these requirements would indicate it will be some time before these issues can be resolved. The Commission's recent audit of some of the holdings submitted for listing as meeting EU export requirements has also confirmed this.

My Department has received the report of the November 2007 FVO visit to Brazil and has requested the EU Commission to place it on the agenda of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health.

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