SBCA development executive Brian Simpson said the campaign was not about finding a solution to current dissatisfaction with prices - it was about compliance. If imported beef could not comply with the same rigorous standards as domestic beef then it should not be coming in.

“It is as simple as that – compliance is compliance and we do not accept that ‘Brazil is improving’ is good enough. It must be 100 per cent and only when get 100 per cent from EU Food Safety a backed up by ad-hoc inspections (as initiated by the Irish Farmers Journal) and we see the Americans opening up their market to Brazil again, will we be satisfied. Until then, Brazilian beef should not be coming into the EU,” said Mr Simpson.

“But we do not pretend it will solve the price issue. If that beef does not come here it will go somewhere else in the world and displace other supplies there.”

President of the SBCA John Cameron was to address the EU parliament in mid July and the petitions would provide him with evidence of solid backing for action within the industry.

“We do not mind fair competition. We just want to see an even handed approach to the enforcement of production standards,” said Mr Simpson.

Source: Farmers Guardian