- with some restrictions as they seem to want to know exactly where the beef originated. Exactly.
Nine-year ban on beef imported from mad-countries lifted
* Asa Wahlquist
* From: The Australian
* March 02, 2010 12:00AM
AUSTRALIA'S nine-year ban on beef imports from mad cow countries was lifted yesterday, but it will be several months before overseas beef products arrive on the nation's supermarket shelves.
Under the new rules, the country of origin must apply to Food Standards Australia New Zealand for permission to export beef to the region. Once the request is received, FSANZ will take a minimum of 20 weeks to assess each application, and it reserves the right to send inspectors to the country of origin for an in-country inspection, further prolonging the waiting period.
No countries have yet applied to send beef to Australia following the lifting of the mad cow ban.
Food and Beverage Importers Association executive director Tony Beaver said he was not surprised no applications had been received, due to the bureaucratic protocols in place.
"It will take quite some time for the classifications to be completed and for any new products to be returned to the market," he said.
In 2001, Australia banned beef from countries where the brain-wasting disease bovine spongiform encephalopathy occurred. BSE can infect people if they eat pieces of the brains or spinal cords of infected animals.
Only imports of muscle meat, or products of muscle meat, which does not carry BSE, will now be permitted into Australia. Fresh meat will also require clearance from Biosecurity Australia.
Before the bans, most beef imports were in the form of processed products such as soup and the gelatine in confectionery. The US exported an average of 34 tonnes of beef a year to Australia before several cases of BSE ended the trade in 2001. Australia exports about 280,000 tonnes of beef a year to the US.
Australian Red Meat Advisory Council secretary Justin Toohey said the changes to the beef import rules were "about aligning our science-based protocol".
"It is not about trade," he said. "Our new protocols are science-based, and it is not going to lead to a flood of beef unless it is economically viable and they can meet our strict conditions."
The conditions include traceability that is equivalent to or better than Australia's. "We can pick 50 head of cattle anywhere in this country and within 48 hours know their property of origin and know the property of origin of their cohorts," Mr Toohey said.
The US could not meet that requirement at present, while the price differentials between Britain and Australia would make it "most unfinancial" for the British. It is understood the Japanese have expressed interest in exporting beef to Australia.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/nine-year-ban-on-beef-imported-from-mad-countries-lifted/story-e6frg6nf-1225835822336
http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Australia-Lifts-Imported-Beef-Ban-9-Years-After-Mad-Cow/2010-03-01/Article_Latest_News.aspx?oid=995321&fid=CN-LATEST_NEWS_&aid=760