Irish MEPs joined leading European farm organisations, their members and other politicians at a second flash action protest in Strasbourg today (Wednesday, January 22) to highlight their ongoing opposition to the EU-Mercosur trade agreement.

Farming organisations including Fédération Nationale des Syndicats d'Exploitants Agricoles (FNSEA), Jeunes Agriculteurs, FDSEA of Bas-Rhin and Copa-Cogeca, brought the 'Stop Mercosur' protest to outside the European Parliament today.

According to Copa-Cogeca the EU-Mercosur trade agreement in its "current form" is "unacceptable" for European agriculture.

Franck Sander, the vice president of FNSEA, believes the Mercosur deal would "destabilise" agriculture production in the EU.

"Let's not import the agriculture that we don't want," he urged on a post in social media today.

Both the Independent Ireland MPE, Ciaran Mullooly, and Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Cowen also voiced their opposition again to the EU-Mercosur trade agreement on the doorstep of the European Parliament.

Mullooly urged other farm organisations and MEPs to stand up against Mercosur.

Speaking at the protest he said: "We can we can defeat this vote we can block this but it's up to everybody to play their part - every political party must go and find allies and friends in Europe who will vote against it because we need food security in Europe.

"Why should we rely on beef from a country with no standards of environment or health safety none whatsoever? I will stand up for Irish farmers at every occasion like this, I will not give in, I will vote no to Mercosur - it must change."

Meanwhile Cowen also addressed the protest and said that Ireland and the European Union needed to remain true to their "principles".

"We cannot allow we cannot allow a position or a circumstance to arise whereby we compromise the commitments and the dedication that is made by farmers across the EU to produce food sustainably," he warned.

He said food in the EU was produced in a way that was in harmony with environmental ambitions but also in tune with "consumer sentiment" and warned that farming communities should not be sacrificed for other industries in relation to the Mercosur deal.

Cowen also said it was important that farmers in the EU were rewarded for their commitments to new eco-systems, new environmental schemes and new innovations.

He also said he remains committed to ensuring "a more rewarding environment for farmers when it comes to trade, retention of the nitrates derogation, the need for a separate environmental Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) pillar and more".