Brussels assures EU farmers that beef is out of trade negotiations with Mercosur

Wednesday, May 11th 2016 - 09:23 UTC

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The European Union Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Phil Hogan, announced on Tuesday that beef will not be part of the current Mercosur trade deal negotiations. The news follows a meeting between the Commissioner and NFU Cymru, which was held on Glamorgan NFU Cymru Chairman, Abi Reader’s farm, in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. Read full article

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Pete Bog
Looks like the Welsh and Irish aren't so keen on Argentine beef.
May 11th, 2016 - 10:25 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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ChrisR
Uruguayo beef is very good and subject to very stick regulations.

I can understand why the 'poor farmers' of the EU are crapping themselves that the subsidies they get won't cover the reduction in prices.

Reminds me of when BLMC were government owned and it was the worst run business in the country.
May 11th, 2016 - 10:42 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Idlehands
The quality of beef sold in the UK is very erratic and very expensive. A 8oz fillet steak would cost roughly $12 in a supermarket. If you bought a cheaper cut it would be almost inedible. It seems that UK beef producers can't take advantage of economies of scale to produce beef to a quality and price that you can buy in the USA.
May 11th, 2016 - 02:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Conqueror
@3. Perhaps the members of NFU Cymru will take your comments on board and make a greater effort. I wonder exactly how one makes an animal ensure that all its body parts reach a particular quality or standard. In fact, how would anyone know until the animal is at the slaughterhouse?

And how will argieland, Brazil and Uruguay respond in the negotiations? Will they decide that all sorts of things we want to sell will also be withdrawn from the negotiations? It's bad enough when negotiations are being conducted by one's own politicians etc. Are EU negotiators even going to remember that beef is “off the table”?
May 11th, 2016 - 03:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Brasileiro
It seems that there will be a very broad agreement with Germany and those who think like that country. With France and the United Kingdom (Ireland also) a light and soft agreement.
Germany will have access to our market and industrial services. Including public procurement purchases. In compensation will open its borders to agribusiness of America. Fixed investments will not be taxed and will not be changes to contractual rules without mutual consent.
Russia could continue to block any trade with Europe and this should not influence the relations with America, except energy. Any change in the rules should be agreed between the parties.

Süddeutsche Zeitung
May 11th, 2016 - 04:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Clyde15
#3
“ quality and price that you can buy in the USA.”
Of course they can produce quantities of cheaper beef.. They are pumped full of growth hormones. Is that what you wish to eat OR feed to your children ?

”Since the 1950s, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a number of steroid hormone drugs for use in beef cattle and sheep, including natural estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and their synthetic versions. These drugs increase the animals’ growth rate and the efficiency by which they convert the feed they eat into meat”
May 11th, 2016 - 10:03 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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