The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has reaffirmed its support for European farmers in light of the evolving EU-Mercosur trade agreement discussions.
The union said that while it recognises the importance of international trade, any future agreement must not come at the expense of domestic agricultural standards, food safety, or the livelihoods of local producers.
It highlighted the recent recall of Brazilian beef due to the presence of banned growth hormones claiming that it underlines long-standing concerns about disparities in regulatory and production standards between Mercosur countries and European producers.
The beef in question originated from animals treated with oestradiol, a growth-promoting hormone banned in the EU – and was part of consignments sent to NI where a food business operator distributed the beef to three operators (128kg) in the Republic of Ireland in September 2025.
UFU
The UFU is continuing to call for for rigorous assurances, robust controls and full transparency on import checks to ensure parity with the high welfare, traceability and food standards upheld by producers in Northern Ireland and across Europe.
Commenting on the incident, UFU deputy president Glenn Cuddy said it reinforces long-standing concerns raised by the union regarding beef imports from countries with differing production standards.
“For many years, the UFU has highlighted concerns about the robustness of production systems and regulatory oversight in Brazil,” he said.
“This recall confirms that these are not theoretical risks, they are real, and they undermine both consumer confidence and the integrity of the beef supply chain.”
In response to the incident, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Northern Ireland has confirmed that robust import controls are in place, including enhanced checks and laboratory testing for beef from higher-risk regions to ensure growth-promoting hormones are not present.
The FSA said it was alerted through the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed and worked swiftly with district councils and food businesses to ensure that no affected product remained on the Northern Ireland market, with any product that had left Northern Ireland also being removed from sale.
The agency added that it operates ongoing intelligence-led risk assessment, targeted sampling through its National Monitoring Plan, and works closely with authorities in Great Britain, Ireland and the EU to manage food safety risks and ensure imported meat meets legal standards.
The UFU said that while effective enforcement is essential, prevention must remain the priority.
“This situation highlights exactly why trade deals must include enforceable safeguards and meaningful protections for domestic producers,” Cuddy added.
“Farmers here are operating to some of the highest standards in the world, and it is fundamentally unfair to expect them to compete with imports produced under very different systems.”
The UFU said that it stands firmly with its European counterparts in urging policymakers to protect local farmers, maintain world-class quality standards, and ensure that any trade agreement includes safeguards that preserve food sovereignty, consumer safety and the long-term viability of domestic food production.
