IFA President Padraig Walshe has accused ex-Beatle Paul McCartney of leading a flawed campaign against meat that is contradictory on climate change.
Speaking in Brussels, Mr Walshe criticised the 'Less Meat' vegetarian campaign promoted by Mr McCartney.
He said sustainable and environmentally-friendly grass-based beef production from Ireland and other EU countries is being replaced on the EU market with beef from Brazil.
The IFA President said in recent years Brazil has cut down Amazon rainforest areas the size of Belgium to meet the additional beef export demand into Europe and other areas.
'Instead of campaigning MEPs to reduce the livestock herd in Europe, Paul McCartney should be lobbying to safeguard grass-based beef production here,' Mr Walshe said.
That policy would halt the destruction of the rainforest and do much more for climate change than his campaign to 'impose vegetarianism on the world', he added.
Watch the European Parliament hearing on 'Global Warming and Food Policy: Less Meat = Less Heat'
