NFU Scotland has briefed Scottish MEP’s about the risks to Scotland’s iconic beef industry of poorly negotiated trade deals.
The European Commission is currently negotiating a free trade agreement with the South American trading bloc Mercosur, which consists of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Recent reports are that the European Commission is considering allowing as much as 70,000 to 90,000 tonnes of beef per year to freely enter the European market through the deal.
Scottish farmers and crofters are concerned that South American beef, which is produced at lower standards, will be damaging to the market currently available to Scottish producers.
'Bargaining chip'
NFU Scotland Livestock Committee Chairman Charlie Adam, a beef farmer in Aberdeenshire, said the EU must not treat the farming industry as a "bargaining chip".
“The idea that the European Commission would consider allowing greater access to South American beef following the ‘rotten meat’ scandal that rocked Brazil earlier this year is absurd, particularly after the recent EU food safety audit which found that Brazilian authorities could not guarantee export requirements,” Mr Adam said.
“Beef farmers in Scotland and across the continent are currently facing great uncertainty over the impact that Brexit may have on the market for our beef.
“The European Commission must not treat our excellent food safety and high-quality standards as a bargaining chip simply to rush through a damaging trade deal so they can tick it off the ‘to do’ list.”
'Distraction'
The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has also expressed dismay, saying it is "extremely alarmed" over the proposals.
The union said the deal is an "unwelcome distraction" from Brexit.
The UFU president Barclay Bell said: “The reported proposals, that the European Commission are considering including beef in the Mercosur deal is a very unwelcome distraction from the ongoing Brexit negotiations.”
11 EU nations led by France and Ireland proposed postponing the farm trade offer to Mercosur until rules can be agreed to avoid unfair competition.
