“The Irish beef and livestock sector has faced many challenges over the years, but it was never in such a dangerous situation as it is facing over the next 3 months. The WTO negotiations are in a perilous phase and if Mandelson is not stopped in his tracks, all the indications are that he will concede even more to try and pull together a deal,” he said.

Padraig Walshe said “Mandelson is working behind closed doors in Geneva in a reckless destruction of the CAP. He is prepared to sell out the beef industry in Ireland, to get a deal at any cost. He is engaged in a race to the bottom, to the lowest standards of food safety, animal welfare and the environment. The only winners in Mandelson’s agenda are the multinationals, commodity traders and corporate ranchers.”

IFA’s assessment is that the situation is now so critical that Ireland must declare a vital national interest to stop the Mandelson sell-out. The only option open to the Government is to use the Veto. Padraig Walshe said “the bottom line is that Irish farmers could be facing a halving of cattle prices to €1.60/kg (that is below 60 pence/lb.) in the next few years if Mandelson is not stopped.”

Padraig Walshe said for over 35 years IFA has been to the forefront in supporting the development and integration of the European Union. He said “My personal wish and that of the leadership of IFA is to maintain our positive position on Europe.”

However, the IFA President said it would be unrealistic to expect the farming community and rural people to vote for the Lisbon Treaty when Mandelson is planning the destruction of the Irish and European family farm structure.

For dairy and sheep farmers, the Mandelson tariff cuts are also a major problem. The main dairy products, butter, skimmed milk powder and cheese face tariff cuts of up to 70%, which will undermine the current strong EU market and milk price.

On lamb, under the Mandelson proposals, sheep farmers face an increase in imports and thousands of tonnes more New Zealand lamb at zero tariffs. We already know the damage to our market from cheap New Zealand lamb.

Irish grain farmers are very dependent on livestock production. If the livestock sector is decimated, grain prices will also be hit very hard.

“I defy Commissioner Mandelson or the Irish Government to point to a single gain in WTO, on the non-farming agenda in areas such as services, where Ireland might hope to recoup some of the losses in Agriculture.”

The IFA President said Mandelson has far exceeded the negotiating mandate agreed by the Council of Ministers in October 2005. He said “Mandelson is currently negotiating beyond his power and without the support of the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers.”

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