Meat & Poultry -- January 2014 - 39

BSE - THE COST

US beef exporters continue to face
o
u o c
d
r
s e S
unwarranted and burdensome BSErelated import restrictions.
o
i
Bans still linger

Since that time, the US has repeatedly

US beef and cattle exports still face

provided China with extensive techni-

full or partial bans in at least 22 coun-

cal information on all aspects of US

tries as a result of the fi rst BSE case

BSE-related surveillance and mitiga-

and three subsequent cases. Five

tion measures, which the World Orga-

South American countries and three

nization for Animal Health (OIE) has

others still ban all products and cattle

recognized as effective and appropriate,

because of the first case, according to

for both food safety and animal health,

a report by the Office of the US Trade

says USTR. China has imposed a zero

Representative (USTR) last year. The

tolerance limit for the presence of Sal-

list of countries that have full or par-

monella, Listeria and other pathogens in

tial bans on US beef products and/or

imported raw meat and poultry.

cattle includes all the major beef-pro-

China has also banned US exports

ducing nations with the exception of

of protein-free tallow due to BSE-re-

Canada and New Zealand.

lated concerns, USTR says. But this

US beef exporters continue to face

protein-free requirement is difficult to

unwarranted and burdensome BSE-

comply with and appears inconsistent

related import restrictions, USTR

with OIE guidelines.

says. These include bans by some

US beef exports got a potential

countries of all US beef and beef prod-

boost in May last year from the OIE's

ucts, selected bans on certain prod-

decision to grant the US negligible risk

ucts (e.g., bone-in and ground beef)

status for BSE. Then in November,

and restrictions on US beef and beef

USDA's APHIS announced a com-

products produced from animals over

prehensive fi nal rule that completed

certain ages. Moreover, the dispar-

efforts to modernize the agency's im-

ity in BSE-related measures in dif-

port regulations for BSE.

ferent markets represents a separate

APHIS says the move will demon-

trade burden and undercuts the com-

strate to the international community

parative advantage of US exporters,

basing its BSE regulations on inter-

ducers, who must alter production

nationally-accepted scientific litera-

and packing processes based on the

ing bans on US beef and cattle. But no

program to confirm that these altera-

one is expecting that to occur over-

tions in production and packing pro-

night, given the decade-long battle to

cesses meet the relevant requirements,

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Industry officials hope that countries

market. It also burdens USDA, which

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ture and standards set by the OIE.

requirements of the specific export

Older Continuous Ink Jet (CIJ)
printheads get dirty during normal
operation - potentially resulting in
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downtime on your line.

that the United States is committed to

it says. This disparity burdens pro-

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USTR says.
Another example is China, which
imposed a ban on US live cattle, beef
and beef products in December 2003.

Steve Kay is a longtime contributing editor
to Meat&Poultry and editor and publisher of
Petaluma, Calif.-based Cattle Buyers Weekly
(www.cattlebuyersweekly.com).  
www.MeatPoultry.com * January 2014 * Meat&Poultry *

39
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Meat & Poultry -- January 2014

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