About 100 farmers protested outside the offices of the European Commission today accusing the EU of "double standards" on the traceability of beef.
The farmers claim evidence gathered by the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) in Brazil in May shows that the country is flouting procedures on cattle traceability and that animals are also being injected with illegal hormones.
According to the IFA, its inspection in Brazil also uncovered widespread and illegal removal of tags from cattle by Brazilian farmers.
Addressing the gathering on Dawson Street in Dublin, IFA president Padraig Walshe said there was "overwhelming evidence" that the EU Food and Veterinary Office was "turning a blind eye to the glaring deficiencies and lack of controls on beef production in Brazil".
Mr Walshe said Ireland's Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan was "aiding and abetting the European Commission bureaucrats" in the cover-up of double standards on beef imports from Brazil.
"I want to say to Minister Coughlan today, the livelihoods of 100,000 livestock farmers are at risk," he said.
The IFA president called on the Minister to demand a total ban on imports from Brazil, which he said did not meet EU standards.
"They will destroy our industry and cattle farmers will hold you responsible," he said.
Ger Bergin chairman of Laois IFA told ireland.comthere was anger among farmers in Ireland at what he also called the double standard applied by the European Commission.
"Last Monday the Commission admitted in Brussels under pressure from the IFA that it no longer required equivalent standards in Brazil," he said.
"I've seen the [IFA] video, I know the people that were there. It's very clear that they are using hormones and pretending to vaccinate animals against foot and mouth, paying to get the certs."
Mr Bergin said there were "sub-standard" health and safety and food safety conditions in Brazil.
"We are not asking for a different standard for us or anything like that, we are asking that everyone be treated the same," he said.
Mr Bergin said an IFA delegation to Brussels last week had received "100 per cent backing of the agriculture committee" of the European Parliament to ban Brazilian imports until the issue is sorted out.
Martin Territt, director of the European Commission Representation in Ireland, came out to meet the farmers and had a brief exchange with Mr Bergin. Mr Territt defended the EU position and denied a double standard was being applied.
Also present at the protest was JJ Kavanagh, a beef farmer from Co Wexford. He had taken a day off work to come to Dublin and take part in the protest because he felt "very strongly" about the issue.
Mr Kavanagh said that as an Irish farmer, he was supposed to have all animals tagged and was subject to on-the-spot inspections with no notice. He said the European Commission standard applied to Brazil gave two months' notice of inspections.
Mr Kavanagh said there was also an issue for consumers because he believed most were under the impression that the beef they are buying is Irish when some of it is from Brazil.
Michael Murphy from west Waterford was also at the protest and said he believed the IFA evidence gathered in Brazil was reliable.
The IFA presented its report from Brazil to the European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development earlier this month.
European Commissioner for Health Markos Kyprianou claimed that the allegations by the IFA are based on "an incorrect interpretation of EU requirements for beef imports".
Mr Kyprianou said this month that his officials are constantly monitoring the situation in Brazil and that decisions on food imports are based solely on food safety and protection of health, "irrespective of economic interests".
The commission also claims the IFA did not visit any slaughterhouses, laboratories or veterinary offices in the country.
Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan said this month she cannot stand over claims made by the IFA.
A small number of gardaí were present at today's protest and liaised with the farmers' leaders to ensure the protest passed peacefully and without danger to traffic on the busy Dublin street.