The animal welfare group, Compassion in World Farming, was accused by a farm leader yesterday of deliberately attempting to mislead the public on the issue of live export of farm animals.
At a demonstration at the Department of Agriculture and Food in Dublin, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association president, Mr Pat O'Rourke, told the CIWF president, Ms Mary-Anne Bartlett, that the CIWF campaign to ban all live exports and replace them with a trade in beef was "utter nonesense".
Yesterday CIWF announced its intention to picket Irish embassies in 31 countries, including the US, to highlight its opposition to proposed new EU trasportation regulations.
CIWF wants to limit the time animals spend in transit to just eight hours. This would effectively convert the EU trade of live animals to one in meat and would end the live trade, according to farm groups.
Mr O'Rourke, who had travelled from Longford to confront the protesters, told Ms Bartlett he wanted to prevent the organisation's attempts to mislead the public.
"These protesters are misinformed and misguided, and their arguments are not based on scientific fact," he said.
"Farm organisations and the Government in this country recognise the importance of the live export trade and have adopted very high standards for transport in accordance with legislation."
Mr O'Rourke said he had as much interest, if not more, in animal welfare from an economic point of view. If animals did not arrive in good condition they could not be sold, and producers would lose money.
In a five-minute exchange with Mr O'Rourke, Ms Bartlett denied that CIWF was deceiving the public. She said the way in which live animals were transported was outdated and caused animals widespread suffering.
"Neither the existing nor proposed new EU animal transport laws include any total journey limit, but simply lay down a cycle of transport and rest that can be repeated indefinitely.
"The trade is cruel and unnecessary as it could be in meat," she said.
CIWF's protest is supported by a total of 45 animal welfare groups in 31 countries in Europe, the US and as far afield as Asia, Africa and Australia. The groups will make their representations to the Irish Ambassadors in Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy and the UK.
CIWF will also be applying pressure on the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mr Walsh, as the president of the EU Agriculture Council, to soften new animal transport rules. Ms Bartlett said CIWF was taking advantage of Ireland holding the EU Presidency to push for reform.
"Mr Walsh is in a very powerful position to make changes. There are new proposals on the table, which should be finalised in the Irish Presidency", she said.
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' secretary-general, Mr Eddie Punch, described CIWF's proposals as flawed.
"They take little account of religious practices in Muslim countries, animal welfare standards in Europe or market realities," he said.