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Ranchers.net

Will Japan’s New Residue Limits Impact You?



If you sell pork to packers who export to Japan, it’s time to do your homework to find out if Japan’s new maximum residue limits (MRLs) will affect you.



“Japan is a valuable export market for US pork producers representing 45 percent of all United States pork exports at a value of $1.070 billion. It is important that US pork producers take this issue seriously,” said Phil Seng, Chief Executive Officer of the United States Meat Export Federation.



“The United States can’t afford to lose this essential market, and unfortunately, just one out-of-compliance animal could put this strategic market at risk,” cautioned Seng.



On May 29 the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare will implement new MRLs for veterinary drugs in food, including pork and pork products. To find out if your use of animal health products is affected by these new import standards:



1. Contact your packer and find out if your hogs are being channeled to the Japanese export market.
2. If your product is affected by these new regulations, visit the For Producers section of the Pork Checkoff’s Web site at /producers/JapanMRL.aspx to determine if medications being used in production are impacted by the new standards.
3. Contact your veterinarian to discuss the new requirements and determine if animal-health products used in your operation are included in the information provided and require a change in usage.



“By following U.S. withdrawal periods, most producers will satisfy the new Japanese requirements. However, there are a few animal health compounds producers need to find out about,” says Steve Larsen, director of pork safety for the National Pork Board.



“If your packer sells your product to Japan, you need to find out what animal health products you’re using and visit with your veterinarian to make sure these products don’t have extended withdrawal periods.”





Japan adopts Codex standards for testing of residues

“This is not a food safety issue for the U.S. consumer,” says Larsen. “These are standards that we want to meet to satisfy the Japanese export market, a very important market for our pork.”



Japan represents a market for 753 million pounds of U.S. pork muscle alone, or 45 percent of the value of U.S. pork and pork variety meat exports, according to Steve Meyer, president of Paragon Economics.



Currently, U.S. pork producers are required to adhere to standards set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The new Japanese standards, however, are based on Codex Alimentarius, a series of international standards for food safety and consumer protection established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization. Using animal health products according to their labels will satisfy most of the new Japanese MRLs with some exceptions.



Log on to Pork.org for the latest updates

Testing for chemicals in pork will apply to muscle and other products, including processed meats and offal. The Pork Checkoff has been working with pharmaceutical companies to determine what animal health products labeled for use in swine may require changes in labeled withdrawal periods to meet Japan MRLs.



More information can be found on the For Producers section of the pork.org Web site at /producers/JapanMRL.aspx. This Web page will be updated as information from animal health companies is received.



Pay attention to injectables

In addition, Japanese monitoring protocols require testing to be done at or near identifiable injection sites. “We encourage you to work with your veterinarian to develop protocols for product selection and the correct use of injectable products in pigs in the finisher stage of production,” Larsen says.



You can also review the Pork Checkoff’s Pork Quality Assurance™ (PQA) and Take Care – Use Antibiotics responsibly™ information on pork.org, or contact the Pork Checkoff Producer Service Center at (800) 456-PORK (7675).
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