Campaign To Protect Ireland’s Beef Sector Is Taken To G4 Summit
IRELAND - A campaign to protect the Irish beef sector, worth €1.6 billion a year in exports alone, was taken to the doorstep of the G4 summit in Potsdam, Germany, yesterday.
21 June 2007
1 minute read
The G4 group comprised of the EU, the US, Brazil and India is expected to continue their talks about a world trade deal until the weekend with agriculture as a key issue.
Irish Farmers Association (IFA) president Padraig Walshe delivered a letter to European Trade Commissioner PeterMandelson warning him not to exceed the negotiating mandate which was given to him by member states in order to reach an agreement.
The IFA delegation also met with Mr Mandelson and with European Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel and conveyed to both the growing concerns of Irish farmers.
Mr Walshe said the offer made by Mr Mandelson in the talks would cut EU farm income by €20 billion, while a proposal by the G20 group of countries would mean an income cut of €37 billion.
The beef sector accounts for one-third (34%) of Ireland’s agricultural output, and involves about 90,000 farmers.
Source: Irish Examiner
