The Ulster Farmers' Union says the latest official EU Food and Veterinary Office Report, evaluating animal health procedures in the Brazilian livestock industry, has vindicated calls for a European ban on Brazilian beef imports.

Responding to the FVO Report publication, UFU President Kenneth Sharkey said that there was clear evidence that Brazilian beef imports should be banned.

Kenneth Sharkey said; "Foot and Mouth Disease is ongoing in Brazil and the country's traceability system is well below the standard which local farmers must by law comply with.

The EU Commission Report assessing the Brazilian beef industry concluded that:

* No systematic audit system for animal health has been established either at State or Central level;

* There was no programme to monitor the efficacy of Foot and Mouth Disease vaccination in 2007;

* The Report calls into question the reliability of the system to determine that animals have been resident in a Foot and Mouth free region for 90 days before export (an EU requirement);

* EU Inspectors discovered that meat from an animal which was not eligible for export, had been exported to the EU. The Report stated that some Official Brazilian Veterinarians were not familiar with the traceability system in place;