March 24, 2005
Egypt Lifts Ban on U.S. Beef with Stipulation
that Beef be of U.S. Origin, not from BSE-Affected Countries
(Billings, Mont.) – Despite recent media reports, as well as statements from both the U.S. government and several meatpacker trade organizations that the United States must open its borders to countries affected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) so that other countries will lift bans on U.S. beef, an announcement this week by Egypt that it will resume imports of U.S. beef shows that is not the case.
Egypt has agreed to resume imports of U.S. beef and beef livers effective March 21, 2005. Egypt has banned U.S. beef and beef products since December 2003, when the imported Canadian cow tested positive for BSE in Washington state.
Egypt's requirements for U.S. beef include that the beef and beef products must be derived from cattle less than 30 months old, as well as having all specified risk materials (SRMs) removed. These SRMs include: the brain, skull, eyes, trigeminal ganglia, spinal cord, tonsils, intestines, dorsal root ganglia, and the vertebral column.
One other significant requirement the U.S. must meet before exporting beef to Egypt is that the beef must be from cattle of U.S. origin, or from cattle imported from countries free of BSE.
Each box of U.S. beef sent to Egypt must be labeled with this statement: 'Bovine meat, livers, kidney, and hearts were derived from animals of U.S. origin or imported from countries free of BSE and in accordance with the strict U.S. import requirements.'
"Egypt's requirement of U.S. origin or origin from countries free of BSE reiterates that it is illogical to believe that countries will readily reopen their borders to U.S. beef because the United States' government decides to lower its import standards for a country known to have BSE – specifically Canada," commented R-CALF USA President Leo McDonnell.
In 2003, Egypt imported $30 million worth of U.S. beef with more than one-half of those imports being beef livers.
# # #