Agriculture and Livestock Protection Secretariat, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply:

On December 19 the European Commission informed the Brazilian Government of restrictions placed on exports of Brazilian bovine meat to EC countries, on the basis of alleged failings in the Brazilian system for animal tracing (SISBOV).

It should be made clear, however, that Brazilian meat represents absolutely no health risk, either to humans or animals.

Based on previous inspection missions, the EC decision states that by 31 January 2008 the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply must, as a provisional measure, present a list of farms whose herds could be sent to slaughterhouses authorised for export. After this date it will not be permitted for animals from any other farm to be slaughtered for export to the European Union. In accordance with this measure the EC expects to receive, by March 2008, inspection and auditing reports for the farms on the list, so that a new inspection mission than then be sent to Brazil. After this, it will be possible to gradually add other farms to the initial list.

Brazil is the world’s biggest exporter of bovine meat. In 2006, Brazil exported more than US$3.8bn worth of beef (US$3.1bn ‘in natura’, US$724m processed) to a total of more than 150 different countries. More than US$1bn of fresh beef was exported to the European market alone. This volume of exports reflects the fact that Brazilian beef is competitive and high quality, and also allows for substantial investment in animal health.

The Brazilian Government deals with the challenges that arise in determined and transparent fashion. In addition to the system of tracing applied to exports to the EU, our system of control includes vaccinations, efficiency control for vaccinations, control of viral circulation, control on animal transit, and the authorisation and regular inspection of slaughterhouses. The six different laboratories that produce the foot-and-mouth vaccine have a combined production capacity of 500 million doses per year. Our modern establishments guarantee that meat is processed in hygienic conditions that adhere strictly to international standards.

The demand for traceability was introduced in the EU in 2000 as a response to BSE (‘mad cow disease’), which has never been found in Brazil. In this sense the EU demand is based on production conditions radically different from those in Brazil. The demand was extended to countries that export to the EU so as to be consistent with the demands made of European producers, not because any problem had been encountered with regard to these other producer nations.

Traceability is being demanded so as to be able to prove that Brazilian animals slaughtered for export to the EU are from regions that are free from foot and mouth, and whose facilities comply with EU standards. However, all Brazilian exports to the EU are of boneless and matured meat – scientifically proven to be incapable of transmitting the foot and mouth virus.

For these reasons the Brazilian Government considers the EU measure unnecessary, disproportionate and unjustified. It even has the potential to lead to arbitrary discrimination between Brazil farms which actually have the same conditions according to EU criteria.

The Brazilian Government is already adopting the measures necessary in order to fine-tune its animal tracing system. These include the integration of the tracing system into the national animal health protection body so as to improve animal health. The government is therefore open to a continued dialogue with the EU so as to arrive at a mutually satisfactory solution to this issue.

At the moment the Brazilian Government is examining the economic and legal implications of the EU measure. As well as presenting its views to the EU, it will also be deciding upon the best means of dealing with the issue within the framework of the World Trade Organization.

Brazilian Beef Information Service:

The EU decision to allow continued imports of Brazilian beef, in the face of fierce lobbying from Irish and UK farmers, finally lays to rest the myth that it represents any danger to health, says the Brazilian Beef Information Service (BBIS).

"This is a victory for science and common sense over back door trade protectionism and is a ringing endorsement of the safety of Brazilian beef," commented BBIS director Rob Metcalfe. "The new restrictions placed on farms are to do with traceability, not health issues, and the Brazilian beef industry has committed to make the new system work effectively.

"What is clear is that there is no justification for further campaigning by the anti-Brazilian trade protectionists. Politicians and farmers’ leaders should discontinue this unhelpful practice which only serves to detract from the public’s image of beef per se and is therefore counter productive in terms of promoting increased consumption of beef which would be to the benefit of all."

Notes from BBIS:
• While foot and mouth disease (FMD) exists in Brazil it is not 'endemic' as some campaigners have claimed. Fundamentally, there is no risk to human or animal health from imports of Brazilian beef, a) because FMD is not a human disease and b) because it cannot be transmitted in boned, matured, fresh or frozen beef, the only kind imported from Brazil. Brazilian beef imports have never been responsible for a case of FMD in the EU.
• The Brazilian beef industry is being asked to adopt traceability standards designed to cope with the threat of BSE. BSE has never existed in Brazil, it is a cattle disease of European origin. Nevertheless, Brazilian farmers and exporters will continue to comply at the request of the Commission.
• Brazil has exported good quality fresh and frozen beef to Europe for over 75 years. The issues faced by Irish and UK farmers are of domestic origin and would be largely unaffected by restrictions on Brazilian beef imports.
• Brazil is the world’s biggest beef exporter, supplying some 182 countries.

For further information:
Rob Metcalfe/Tanya Schreuder
Brazilian Beef Information Service
26 Fitzroy Square
London W1T 6BT
United Kingdom
Tel : +44 (0)20 7388 7421
Mob: +44 (0)7947 761942
info@brazilianbeef.info

Anna Macdougald/Michel Deurinck
Brazilian Beef Information Service
Avenue des Arts/Kunstlaan 50
1000 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)495 328505
brusselsoffice@brazilianbeef.info