Farmers declare hormone found in Brazilian beef should be ‘red line’ on trade deal

The discovery of a prohibited growth hormone in beef originating in Brazil that entered Ireland should be a “wake-up call” for the Government, according to farmers.

The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has called on the Government to oppose the Mercosur trade deal ahead of an EU vote on Friday.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland stated it was notified by the Food Standards Agency Northern Ireland on December 12 that a consignment of beef, with an expiry date of October 31 2025, from animals that had been treated with oestradiol, had been distributed to three businesses in the Republic in September.

The beef was from Brazil – part of the Mercosur trading bloc which also includes Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay as full members and other South American countries as associate members.

The administration of oestradiol, which can be applyd as a growth-promoting hormone, is not allowed in animals intfinished for the food chain in the EU.

The EU conducted an audit in relation to the matter and Brazilian officials informed authorities that carcasses from animals treated with oestradiol were mixed into consignments of beef destined for the bloc.

IFA president Francie Gorman stated: “This displays that the undertaking from Brazil about the processes they have in place are completely flawed and wholly ineffective.”

He added: “This EU audit which uncovered these hormones is obtainting worse and worse, with more EU countries being embroiled. The EU must publish the full details of this immediately and before there is any vote on the Mercosur deal.

“In 2024, another EU audit found that the Brazilian system to stop hormones entering the EU food chain could not be relied upon. We were notified by the EU that Brazil implemented an action plan to address this.

“Yet, hormones have now entered the EU and Irish food chain. This has to be a red line for the Irish Government on Mercosur.

“The question is are Brazil misleading the EU or are the EU misleading their citizens. We required full disclosure immediately.”

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