His promise came during a meeting this week with five of the main UK and Irish farming unions in Brussels, who are concerned at the disease risk of continued trade with Brazil.

An FVO visit last year found evidence of a number of banned animal health products on Brazilian cattle farms, and failings in the country’s traceability systems.

A separate fact-finding mission by the Irish Farmers' Association last May also found standards and practices on farms that would not be acceptable within the EU.

A joint statement by the five presidents said that, while Brazil had made some improvements, many of the measures demanded by the FVO had still not been implemented.

Source: Farmers Weekly Interactive