Mercusor will 'devastate' €3 bn beef farming declares Laois man who leads Irish farmers

The Laois man who is IFA President has hit out at an agreement between the EU and big South American countries warning that it could "devastate" Irish beef sector that's worth almost €3 billion. 

Francie Gorman also insists the so-called Mercusor deal is not done and is scathing in his criticism of European Commission President Urusala Von der Leyen.

Speaking in Montevideo she claimed the partnership agreement with four Mercosur countries – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay – is "ground-breaking"  and creates opportunities for growth, jobs and sustainable development on both sides while European farmers would be protected.

“This is a win-win agreement, which will bring meaningful benefits to consumers and businesses, on both sides. We are focused on fairness and mutual benefit. We have listened to the concerns of our farmers and we acted on them. This agreement includes robust safeguards to protect your livelihoods," she said in a statement.

However, the Ballinakill man doesn't see it that way and insists that it's not a done deal. He spoke to RTÉ news on December 6 when Ms Von der Leyen was in South America meeting the Mercusor country leaders.

"It's not a done deal and it's far from win win. For farmers across Europe who produce food to the highest standards in the most sustainable way with a cost of regulation imposed on them it does feel like Urusal Von der Leyen has turned her back in a huge way" he said.

He also claimed farmers across Europe had been 'sold out' by the Commission head and he said farmers should not be a 'bargaining chip' in a trade deal. 

He said the deal has to get a majority in the European Parliament but the final decision will be reached at the Council of Ministers where Ireland is represented by the Taoiseach. He said there is huge opposition in France, Holland, Austria, Poland and Ireland. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

In a week when the Department of Agriculture published figures showing Ireland exported "quality produce" to over 180 countries in 2023, with the largest exports being dairy valued at €6.4 billion and beef valued at almost €3 billion, Mr Gorman urged politicians to oppose the deal.

"It is incumbent on our political leaders who gave commitments during the election debate that they were going to stand up and oppose this deal in its current form. They need to get on the pitch lobby their counterparts across Europe and make sure that this deal doesn't go through because if it does it decimates the rural economies across Europe and particularly in Ireland where we export 90% of the beef we produce.

"To put it in context, this is the equivalent of 4 million cattle coming into the European Union and we are one of the few countries that exports huge volumes of beef. Taking into the count our exports to the UK, this has the potential to decimate our beef and poultry industry," he said.

The IFA President also responded to claims from Ms Von der Leyen that the agreement contains robust safeguards to protect farm livelihoods.

"There will be no robust safeguards. This deal is 20 years in negotiations and if there were (safeguards) it would have got over the line before now," he said.

Mr Gorman said European experts have concluded that there is no confidence that Mercusor countries will be able to verify beef standards and where it was produced.

"Essentially Ursula Von der Leyen as President of the Commission has driven a coach and four through her own European Agency in disregarding their advice," he said. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Ms Von der Leyen with Mercusor leaders in Montevideo. Pic: European Commission

He said the deal would allow in 99,000 tonnes of tariff-free beef.

"You can't check 99,000 tonnes of beef. You can do spot checks and they will happen in the Mercusor countries and the agencies in Europe have no faith that can be done," he said.

The European Commission said the EU is Mercosur's number one trade and investment partner with EU exports to Mercosur worth e €56 billion in goods in 2023 and €28 billion in services in 2022.

It also claims that the EU is the biggest foreign investor in Mercosur with a stock of €340 billion in 2021. It says that while the relationship is very substantial, exporters and potential investors face barriers in Mercosur markets.