The controlling shareholder of the world's largest meat-packing company, JBS, has agreed to pay a record 10.3bn real (£2.4bn) fine for its role in Brazil's corruption scandals.
The settlement meant Brazil's sweeping graft investigations have now led to the world's two biggest fines levied under leniency deals, Brazilian prosecutors said.
UK farming unions have been quick to criticise Brazil in its handling of the issue.
The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), has previously called for Brazilian imports to be blocked.
Brazil, the world’s biggest exporter of red meat, is at the centre of international attention due to a widespread beef scandal that could seriously damage the country’s reputable sector.
The UFU says that revelations about corruption and fraud in the Brazilian meat industry are 'damning'.
The union has called for the EU Commission to remove agriculture from the Mercosur negotiations and ban Brazilian meat imports completely.
'Huge level of corruption'
President of the UFU Barclay Bell said: “The situation in Brazil continues to deteriorate as more reports emerge about the huge level of corruption in their meat industry and government.
“The magnitude of this scandal is shocking and I can see no credible way for the EU Commission to continue to include agriculture in the Mercosur trade talks. The Commission must also take action by immediately banning all Brazilian meat imports to the EU,” said the president.
In 1996, at the early stages of the BSE crisis, the EU Commission banned all UK beef exports in the interest of public health.
The UFU points out that twenty years on, the Commission’s approach appears to be 'much more lax'.
Mr Bell continued: “The Brazilian meat scandal is a public health issue. The Commission has been slow to act and I would question why they have not approached this situation with the same urgency as BSE. It is unacceptable and immediate action must be taken.”
Food standards 'must be upheld'
The revelations from Brazil have acted as a key consideration in future trade negotiations for the UK government post-Brexit.
Mr Bell said: “Politicians must ensure that food standards are upheld and cheap, low quality imports are not permitted to undermine our industry. Countries wishing to trade with us must demonstrate they can meet the high standards expected by UK consumers.
“It is also essential that the government treats beef and lamb as sensitive products within trade negotiations. To do otherwise would only serve to decimate these already vulnerable sectors.”
The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has previously highlighted the importance of securing trade deals which uphold the high standards of British food production amid these allegations about Brazil.
The NFU says that Britain has one of the safest and most traceable food systems of any country in the world.
