It is essential that food production occurs in the most environmentally sustainable regions.

Beef production in South America takes place on former forest lands such as the Amazonian rainforest, which has the devasting effect of carbon release. Most recent data available from the UNFCCC supports this point and shows that in 1994 this Amazon destruction and land management change increased greenhouse gas emissions by 818,080 Gg CO2e in Brazil. In the same period Euope increased forestry and converted to permanent pasture, resulting in the land management and foresty sectors reducing overall EU greenhouse gas emissions by  444,344 Gg CO2e, more than half the Amazonian emissions increase.

The ratio of carbon seqestering permanent pasture soils compared to total agricultural area continues to increase in the EU, with 66% of Member States increasing lands under permant pasture. In addition key agricultural commodity producing countries such the United Kingdom has 60% of land under permanent pasture, with 90% of total agriculture area in Ireland covered by permanent pasture. The utilisation of grass in ruminant production systems provides an environmentally competitive advantage for EU beef and dairy herds when compared to the high concentrate diets and deforestation assocated with other international beef producing regions

The agriculture chapter must not be intertwined into the general climate change negotiations in Copenhagen. It is essential that food production occurs in the most environmental sustainable regions. A deal in Copenhagen must not result in a shift in beef production from the most environmentally sustainable regions of the EU to some of the least sustainable regions such as South America.

The displacement of domestic agriculture production with overseas production resulting in an increase in greenhouse gas emissions is no solutation ot the challenges of meeting national and environmental targets.