Allister speaks on investigative visit to Brazil
02 May 2008
Commenting at the end of the EP’s Agriculture Committee’s investigative visit to Brazil, Jim Allister said:-
“This visit to Brazil was well worthwhile in giving a first hand insight into their agricultural system and the reasons why exports of their beef to the EU have had to be curbed.
The overwhelming impression of Brazil is the sheer scale of its agricultural sector. When you see 24,000 cattle in fattening pens on a single farm and realise such is replicated across this vast country many times over, you appreciate the economies of scale which makes their production so competitive.
From what we saw, I have no doubt that the restrictions on beef imports from Brazil are essential. I have no regrets about being one of those on the Agriculture Committee who campaigned long and hard for these restrictions, and eventually changing the Commission’s mind.
Whereas, there are some exceptionally well run farms and while we saw one meat plant which would be the envy of anywhere, we also saw thousands of cattle without tags and no prospect of traceability. We also visited a meat plant where the hygiene standards and practices were appalling and would have caused it to be closed down instantly in the EU.
We cannot subject EU producers to the stringent standards which our consumers and public health interests require and at the same time allow imports where anything goes in terms of processing standards and traceability.
I look forward to expanding further on our findings over the next few days.
ENDS
