Editorial: Farmers must be heard on Mercosur as well - Kilkenny Live

The EU-Mercosur trade agreement will come before the European Parliament in the coming weeks, following Friday’s European Commission vote in its favour.

Already, farming representative groups such as Macra have been sounding the alarm, with fears for the fabric of rural Ireland. They are also furious at what they see as a very late in the day articulation of position by the Irish Government. Certainly, the Government seemed somewhat slow to articulate its position on the vote. There are several reasons for concerns over the Mercosur deal.

The obvious one is that our farmers operate under some of the most stringent environmental and food safety regulations — and for good reason. But these standards come at a cost, and opening the market to increased imports of beef or other agricultural products from countries where the same standards don’t apply is going to cause problems. If producers abroad are not held to equivalent standards, Irish farmers will inevitably be squeezed.
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There are also environmental concerns. Ireland and Europe have signed up for lofty climate commitments. Deforestation in parts of South America for agricultural expansion, remains a big issue. Farmers here are being asked to reduce emissions and protect biodiversity, but will our new trade partners face the same demands?

Not everyone is unhappy. Chambers Ireland and ICC Ireland welcomed the passing of the agreement, describing it as a great opportunity for the Irish economy and a welcome boost for free, open trade. Many of Europe’s politicians support the move, hoping for increased cooperation with Latin America, when other international relationships, such as with the USA, are under strain.

One thing is for sure — rural communities are under pressure from rising costs, volatile markets and decline. They need support. Our farmers’ voices must be heard on Mercosur, before it’s too late to turn back.