BEEF SEGREGATION
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A U.S. beef cattle group says countries that are reopening their markets to U.S. beef don't want product commingled with Canadian beef.
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Taiwan – once the sixth largest export market for U.S. beef – reopened its markets to U.S. beef – closed since the United States confirmed one case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in December 2003. However, the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, Billings, Montana, said that Taiwan does not want the U.S. beef it receives to be commingled with Canadian beef. Taiwan and other countries have relaxed the beef ban permitting boneless beef from cattle less than 30 months of age.
"Just like Egypt -- a nation that reopened its market to U.S. beef in recent days -- Taiwan is emphatic that it wants only beef derived from cattle younger than 30 months of age, slaughtered in the United States," R-CALF president Leo McDonnell said. "And while product from third countries can be exported to Taiwan – those countries have to be eligible to export to Taiwan – which indicates the Taiwanese do not want any beef from countries affected by BSE. That means they don't want Canadian beef co-mingled with our U.S. exports. McDonnell emphasized: "We're happy Taiwan and Egypt are back on board as export customers, and we're also glad they're not caving in to political pressures from Washington."
USDA and other groups argue that USDA's Final Rule on BSE minimal-risk regions -- that will lift the ban on Canadian beef and live cattle imports – is necessary to convince other countries of the safety of North American -- U.S. and Canadian -- beef. "Let's put things in perspective," McDonnell continued. "Our export customers are demanding more risk mitigation measures of U.S. exports than what USDA's Final Rule – if implemented – would require if Canadian beef were allowed into the United States. Common sense tells you that USDA could very well be jeopardizing these new trade agreements with Egypt and Taiwan, and future agreements with other countries, if the Final Rule is put in place. Fortunately, the current injunction against USDA has reassured our foreign customers that U.S. producers are serious about maintaining our historically conservative firewalls to keep BSE out of the United States."
R-CALF said that Taiwan requires that certain specified risk materials – over and above that required by the Final Rule -- be excluded from U.S. beef products. "The only restriction in the Final Rule on SRMs requires that just the tonsils and small intestines be removed," McDonnell explained. "All other SRMs would be allowed, and segregation of older cattle in slaughter or processing plants is not required in the Final Rule at all."
Web posted: April 17, 2005
Category: Food Safety,Legislation and Regulation,Marketing,Trade
Domenick Castaldo, Ph.D.
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A U.S. beef cattle group says countries that are reopening their markets to U.S. beef don't want product commingled with Canadian beef.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Taiwan – once the sixth largest export market for U.S. beef – reopened its markets to U.S. beef – closed since the United States confirmed one case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in December 2003. However, the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, Billings, Montana, said that Taiwan does not want the U.S. beef it receives to be commingled with Canadian beef. Taiwan and other countries have relaxed the beef ban permitting boneless beef from cattle less than 30 months of age.
"Just like Egypt -- a nation that reopened its market to U.S. beef in recent days -- Taiwan is emphatic that it wants only beef derived from cattle younger than 30 months of age, slaughtered in the United States," R-CALF president Leo McDonnell said. "And while product from third countries can be exported to Taiwan – those countries have to be eligible to export to Taiwan – which indicates the Taiwanese do not want any beef from countries affected by BSE. That means they don't want Canadian beef co-mingled with our U.S. exports. McDonnell emphasized: "We're happy Taiwan and Egypt are back on board as export customers, and we're also glad they're not caving in to political pressures from Washington."
USDA and other groups argue that USDA's Final Rule on BSE minimal-risk regions -- that will lift the ban on Canadian beef and live cattle imports – is necessary to convince other countries of the safety of North American -- U.S. and Canadian -- beef. "Let's put things in perspective," McDonnell continued. "Our export customers are demanding more risk mitigation measures of U.S. exports than what USDA's Final Rule – if implemented – would require if Canadian beef were allowed into the United States. Common sense tells you that USDA could very well be jeopardizing these new trade agreements with Egypt and Taiwan, and future agreements with other countries, if the Final Rule is put in place. Fortunately, the current injunction against USDA has reassured our foreign customers that U.S. producers are serious about maintaining our historically conservative firewalls to keep BSE out of the United States."
R-CALF said that Taiwan requires that certain specified risk materials – over and above that required by the Final Rule -- be excluded from U.S. beef products. "The only restriction in the Final Rule on SRMs requires that just the tonsils and small intestines be removed," McDonnell explained. "All other SRMs would be allowed, and segregation of older cattle in slaughter or processing plants is not required in the Final Rule at all."
Web posted: April 17, 2005
Category: Food Safety,Legislation and Regulation,Marketing,Trade
Domenick Castaldo, Ph.D.
