Irish MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú has said she was shocked after the Irish Farmers’ Journal published an exposé on beef production practices in Brazil.
The investigation detailed illegal antibiotic sales, poor documentation of animal medicines, issues around traceability, and the use of growth enhancers within Brazil’s beef sector, reports Breaking News.
Ms Ní Mhurchú warned that Europe is close to finalising a deal that could allow substandard and unsafe beef into the EU market.
The MEP for Ireland South said the findings reveal a “shocking willingness” within the European Commission to disregard weak agricultural standards in Mercosur countries in its drive to conclude a trade deal, reports Breaking News.
The Irish Farmers’ Journal report uncovered widespread and poorly regulated access to strong veterinary antibiotics in Brazil, along with weak oversight and tracking systems — practices that would breach EU regulations.
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In Brazil, prescription-only antibiotics were readily available for purchase without prescriptions, herd numbers or any form of animal identification, reports Breaking News.
The report also highlighted the absence of barcodes or structured tracking systems for these medicines, raising doubts about Brazil’s ability to ensure compliance with EU expectations on antibiotic use.
She said these findings cast doubt on the foundations upon which the EU-Mercosur trade agreement is being pushed forward, reports Breaking News.
Ms Ní Mhurchú said: “That such powerful antibiotics can be bought so casually in Brazil without any regulatory checks is not just a problem for animal health — it is a public health red flag and one that should make everyone in Europe stop and think. As we push forward with the Mercosur trade deal, European farmers and EU citizens simply cannot be expected to compete on a playing field where such practices go unchecked”, reports Breaking News.
Ní Mhurchú contacted the European Commission on Thursday morning, requesting a public explanation of what due diligence was carried out before progressing the trade agreement.
She cautioned that without a transparent and thorough response from the Commission, the Mercosur deal risks creating a two-tier system — one for EU producers operating under high standards, and another for cheaper imports from third countries where rules are far less strict, reports Breaking News.
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