NFU urges the EU commission to ban Brazilian beef now

The NFU is urging the EU Commission to impose an immediate ban on Brazilian beef imports, ahead of a visit to the country next week by EU food safety commissioner Markos Kyprianou.

Mr Kyprianou’s visit is being flagged up as a strictly diplomatic mission to discuss food safety issues. But it comes hot on the heels of an EU Food and Veterinary Office inspection that ended this week and was targeted at Brazil’s foot-and-mouth disease controls.

The fact the EU commissioner was going in person to Brazil suggested there was some urgency about the issue, said NFU deputy president Meurig Raymond.

“If there are concerns about safety, then there should be an embargo now, rather than waiting for the outcome of a third inspection. Safety first should be the rule of the day.”

Two previous FVO inspections have revealed numerous deficiencies in Brazil’s disease controls, traceability and animal drug monitoring. The findings of the latest visit will not be made public for at least six months.