About 30 Irish farmers are staging a sit in protest in the offices of the European Commission in Dublin today.
The protesters - members of the livestock committee of the Irish Farmers Association - entered the European Union House on Dawson Street at 3pm with sleeping bags and signs saying "Stop EU Beef Sell-Out to Brazil". They said they intend to occupy the building until tomorrow.
The farmers are protesting against the EU and Mercosur trade negotiations, which take place next week.
Mercosur, the largest trading bloc in South America, represents Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
The IFA argues that the deal being proposed with the body poses a multi-billion euro threat to the agricultural sector by allowing Brazil export cheap beef to Europe.
"Given the importance of agriculture and beef and livestock to the Irish economy, farmers will be looking to the new government to take up this issue" said IFA president John Bryan.
"The negative impact from a Mercosur deal would seriously damage our economic recovery and inflict major job losses at farm and industry level across the country - the EU cannot hand over half of our high value steak market to South America, who fail to meet EU food safety standards."