The Philippine government indicated this week that it will maintain current rules for the administration of its tariff rate quota (TRQ) for pork, preserving US access to a fast-growing market for US pork exports.
This was made public by the US' National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) at its website.
The Philippine government had threatened in recent months to severely restrict pork imports by denying to legitimate Philippine importers the licenses they need to import pork within the country’s 54,210 metric tonne pork TRQ.
In response to that threat, the NPPC filed a petition with the Office of the US Trade Representative in December 2008, requesting removal of the Philippines from the US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).
Memorandum
In filing the petition, NPPC noted that the Philippine action would have violated World Trade Organization rules and a 1999 Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and the Philippines.
GSP is a programme designed to provide developing countries such as the Philippines with preferential duty access to the US market. In 2007, the Philippines exported $1.1 billion worth of products to the USA under the GSP programme.
Delighted
"We are delighted the Philippine government has lived up to its international obligations and given Philippine importers full access to the pork TRQ," said NPPC president Bryan Black.
"In light of that, we have withdrawn our GSP petition. However, we will remain vigilant to ensure the Philippine government continues to give the US pork industry full access to its pork market."
The Philippine decision to maintain its current TRQ administration rules preserves a growing market for US pork exports. US pork sales to the Philippines in 2008 surged by 360% to 25,300 metric tonnes valued at $46 million.
Showing posts with label Legal/Regulatory News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Legal/Regulatory News. Show all posts
Friday, February 27, 2009
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Countries ban Irish pork in toxin scare
gence France-Presse
First Posted 06:25:00 12/09/2008
PARIS -- Authorities across Europe and Asia rushed to pull Irish pork from store shelves or ban imports Monday as the European Commission said a score of countries could be affected by a dioxin scare.
Ireland on Saturday said it was recalling all pork products made in the country after the discovery of dioxins, which may cause cancer, in slaughtered pigs.
The chemicals were thought to have contaminated feed.
Ireland is a major exporter of pork, with Britain by far the biggest market, followed by Germany, France, Russia and Japan, according to official figures.
But several countries said their imports were small and they did not expect problems, but were taking action to reassure consumers.
"We are currently suspending imports as a precaution," said Mitsue Kondo, a food safety official at Japan's health ministry.
Japanese authorities are also checking with Irish officials about the contaminated meat and may recall Irish pork products, she added.
"Along with the ban on imports, retailers were told to stop the sale of Irish pork products," a South Korean agriculture ministry spokesman told AFP.
China's General Administration of Quality Inspection and Quarantine said, "In accordance with a China-Ireland bilateral agreement, we have provisionally stopped the direct and indirect import of Irish pork products and livestock feed."
"Secondly we have recalled and returned Irish pork products that were produced after September 1," it added in a notice on its website.
Singapore's government said it had suspended the import and sale of all pork and related products from Ireland.
Importers and retailers have been instructed to recall the products from the market with immediate effect, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority said in a statement on its website.
The Straits Times newspaper said Singapore imported about 516 tonnes (567.6 tons) of pork products from Ireland in the last three months.
In Europe, Bulgarian veterinary inspectors banned the sale of 60 tonnes of pork imported from Ireland earlier this month.
The ministry of farming and food said that the shipments of Irish meat were found in storehouses in the capital Sofia and the central city of Plovdiv.
It added that veterinary inspectors will check a further 112 cold stores across the country, conduct lab analyses and destroy any meat or meat products if found to contain dioxins.
In Berlin, the government said Germany had only imported minimal amounts of Irish pork and sees no public health threat, although it ordered all Irish pork pulled from the shelves Sunday.
Germany has imported only 2,000 tonnes of pork from Ireland since September 1, the period specified by Dublin in its warning, the agriculture and consumer affairs ministry said.
The head of Poland's veterinary services, Krzysztof Jazdzewski, said his department was checking 667 tonnes of Irish pork imported by three companies.
Russia also announced it was suspending imports of Irish pork products as well as the sale of such products until Moscow can determine how many tonnes of Irish pork have reached Russia and during what period, Russian news agencies reported.
European Agriculture Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said earlier that the EU's 27 member states should remove pork products from Ireland from sale and carry out tests.
She said in Brussels that potentially contaminated meat may have been sent to Belgium, Britain, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Sweden within the EU.
Tainted meat may also have been sent to non-EU members Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the United States.
In France, Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier played down the threat in an interview published Monday, while adding that traders had been ordered to check the provenance of their products and withdraw relevant Irish pork.
"It is not a major alert for France," he told the daily Le Parisien.
"Ninety-five percent of fresh pork consumed in France is produced in this country."
First Posted 06:25:00 12/09/2008
PARIS -- Authorities across Europe and Asia rushed to pull Irish pork from store shelves or ban imports Monday as the European Commission said a score of countries could be affected by a dioxin scare.
Ireland on Saturday said it was recalling all pork products made in the country after the discovery of dioxins, which may cause cancer, in slaughtered pigs.
The chemicals were thought to have contaminated feed.
Ireland is a major exporter of pork, with Britain by far the biggest market, followed by Germany, France, Russia and Japan, according to official figures.
But several countries said their imports were small and they did not expect problems, but were taking action to reassure consumers.
"We are currently suspending imports as a precaution," said Mitsue Kondo, a food safety official at Japan's health ministry.
Japanese authorities are also checking with Irish officials about the contaminated meat and may recall Irish pork products, she added.
"Along with the ban on imports, retailers were told to stop the sale of Irish pork products," a South Korean agriculture ministry spokesman told AFP.
China's General Administration of Quality Inspection and Quarantine said, "In accordance with a China-Ireland bilateral agreement, we have provisionally stopped the direct and indirect import of Irish pork products and livestock feed."
"Secondly we have recalled and returned Irish pork products that were produced after September 1," it added in a notice on its website.
Singapore's government said it had suspended the import and sale of all pork and related products from Ireland.
Importers and retailers have been instructed to recall the products from the market with immediate effect, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority said in a statement on its website.
The Straits Times newspaper said Singapore imported about 516 tonnes (567.6 tons) of pork products from Ireland in the last three months.
In Europe, Bulgarian veterinary inspectors banned the sale of 60 tonnes of pork imported from Ireland earlier this month.
The ministry of farming and food said that the shipments of Irish meat were found in storehouses in the capital Sofia and the central city of Plovdiv.
It added that veterinary inspectors will check a further 112 cold stores across the country, conduct lab analyses and destroy any meat or meat products if found to contain dioxins.
In Berlin, the government said Germany had only imported minimal amounts of Irish pork and sees no public health threat, although it ordered all Irish pork pulled from the shelves Sunday.
Germany has imported only 2,000 tonnes of pork from Ireland since September 1, the period specified by Dublin in its warning, the agriculture and consumer affairs ministry said.
The head of Poland's veterinary services, Krzysztof Jazdzewski, said his department was checking 667 tonnes of Irish pork imported by three companies.
Russia also announced it was suspending imports of Irish pork products as well as the sale of such products until Moscow can determine how many tonnes of Irish pork have reached Russia and during what period, Russian news agencies reported.
European Agriculture Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said earlier that the EU's 27 member states should remove pork products from Ireland from sale and carry out tests.
She said in Brussels that potentially contaminated meat may have been sent to Belgium, Britain, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Sweden within the EU.
Tainted meat may also have been sent to non-EU members Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the United States.
In France, Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier played down the threat in an interview published Monday, while adding that traders had been ordered to check the provenance of their products and withdraw relevant Irish pork.
"It is not a major alert for France," he told the daily Le Parisien.
"Ninety-five percent of fresh pork consumed in France is produced in this country."
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Philippines lifts ban on Ark. poultry, institutes Idaho ban
The Philippines' Department of Agriculture announced that it is lifting its ban on all poultry and poultry products from the state of Arkansas, while simultaneously banning the same products from Idaho.
Arthur Yap, secretary of the Department of Agriculture, said that the import ban was lifted from Arkansas after the World Organization for Animal Health certified the state as free from bird flu. The ban was originally put in place after a bird flu virus was detected in Washington County last June.
The department placed a temporary ban of imports of domestic and wild birds from Idaho, however, after an occurrence of low-pathogenic avian influenza was found there in game birds that are bred for hunting.
Arthur Yap, secretary of the Department of Agriculture, said that the import ban was lifted from Arkansas after the World Organization for Animal Health certified the state as free from bird flu. The ban was originally put in place after a bird flu virus was detected in Washington County last June.
The department placed a temporary ban of imports of domestic and wild birds from Idaho, however, after an occurrence of low-pathogenic avian influenza was found there in game birds that are bred for hunting.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Ban on poultry from Denmark, Czech Republic, Arkansas lifted
THE AGRICULTURE department has lifted its ban on imports of poultry and poultry products from the Czech Republic, Denmark and from the US state of Arkansas, an official statement yesterday read.
The import ban on domestic and wild birds, along with poultry and its products like meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen, was lifted after the World Organization for Animal Health (known by its French acronym, OIE) certified the areas free from bird flu.
Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap said the evaluation done by the Bureau of Animal Industry showed that the risk of contamination from importing poultry products from the said areas were "negligible."
The department had imposed the import ban last May and June.
The Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the OIE sets a three-month period before a country can regain its bird flu-free status after conducting a stamping-out campaign to eradicate birds infected with the virus.
But the Agriculture department slapped a ban on poultry imports from the US state of Idaho after a bird flu strain was detected in game birds bred for hunting, the statement said.
Countries still banned from exporting poultry and poultry products to the Philippines are Haiti and United Kingdom.
The import ban on domestic and wild birds, along with poultry and its products like meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen, was lifted after the World Organization for Animal Health (known by its French acronym, OIE) certified the areas free from bird flu.
Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap said the evaluation done by the Bureau of Animal Industry showed that the risk of contamination from importing poultry products from the said areas were "negligible."
The department had imposed the import ban last May and June.
The Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the OIE sets a three-month period before a country can regain its bird flu-free status after conducting a stamping-out campaign to eradicate birds infected with the virus.
But the Agriculture department slapped a ban on poultry imports from the US state of Idaho after a bird flu strain was detected in game birds bred for hunting, the statement said.
Countries still banned from exporting poultry and poultry products to the Philippines are Haiti and United Kingdom.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Philippines: Imposition of Pork Price Ceiling Urged
THE PHILIPPINES - Hog farmers are pressing the government to impose a pork price ceiling in the wet market as the trader-manipulated price is devastating the industry and pork consumption is being further dampened.
National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NFHFI) Albert Lim told reporters that the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry should cause the imposition of a pork price ceiling of P140 to P150 per kilo in the wet market.
This should put a cap on the price that has hovered around P170 to P180 in the market as manipulated by traders. This is even if price of pork at farm gate is now at a very low P85 per kilo or less.
Lim said farmers are also suffering from a huge inventory of oversized hogs weighing more than 100 kilos while what is normally acceptable in the market are those weighing 70 to 80 kilos. This is because of the big importation of pork meat from Canada.
"We have lots of oversized pork. This is the only time that that has happened to us," he said.
In a related concern, the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (PAMPI) is protesting DA’s suspension on the issuance of veterinary quarantine certificate (VQC) on PAMPI’s importation of meat products.
This is effectively a ban on the importation of ingredients being used by meat processors for producing canned corned beef or canned ham.
PAMPI asked DA Sec. Arthur C. Yap in a letter to "immediately lift the suspension of VQC processing for pork import applications for manufacturing-grade parts of pork in the soonest possible time so we can catch up on our inventory build-up of processed meats intended for the holiday season."
DA issued the suspension of release of VQC on pork importation last September 16th.
Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Director David Catbagan said BAI will be reviewing this directive.
PAMPI said in a statement that Rep. Nick Briones who is associated with livestock cooperative Limcoma has been pressing DA to issue such suspension.
"Briones blamed the presence of imported pork in the wet markets for a large inventory of 50,000 to 60,000 oversized hogs amid a lack of market demand," said PAMPI.
Moreover, PAMPI officials said DA has allowed a bulk of imported meat from Canada to be sold in the wet market even if it is the duty of DA to curb distribution of these meat in the wet market.
"Only meat processors should be allowed to import this meat, and this imported pork should not be sold in the market," said a PAMPI official.
PAMPI said its importation of manufacturing grade pork has not been unreasonably high compared to 2007 volume except for bellies "which has become scarce in local supply, forcing us to depend on imported sources to support the increased demand of bacons."
BAI data showed that pork imports reached 83,454 metric tons as of September 13th from 79,381 MT in the entire 2007.
ThePigSite News Desk
National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NFHFI) Albert Lim told reporters that the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry should cause the imposition of a pork price ceiling of P140 to P150 per kilo in the wet market.
This should put a cap on the price that has hovered around P170 to P180 in the market as manipulated by traders. This is even if price of pork at farm gate is now at a very low P85 per kilo or less.
Lim said farmers are also suffering from a huge inventory of oversized hogs weighing more than 100 kilos while what is normally acceptable in the market are those weighing 70 to 80 kilos. This is because of the big importation of pork meat from Canada.
"We have lots of oversized pork. This is the only time that that has happened to us," he said.
In a related concern, the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (PAMPI) is protesting DA’s suspension on the issuance of veterinary quarantine certificate (VQC) on PAMPI’s importation of meat products.
This is effectively a ban on the importation of ingredients being used by meat processors for producing canned corned beef or canned ham.
PAMPI asked DA Sec. Arthur C. Yap in a letter to "immediately lift the suspension of VQC processing for pork import applications for manufacturing-grade parts of pork in the soonest possible time so we can catch up on our inventory build-up of processed meats intended for the holiday season."
DA issued the suspension of release of VQC on pork importation last September 16th.
Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Director David Catbagan said BAI will be reviewing this directive.
PAMPI said in a statement that Rep. Nick Briones who is associated with livestock cooperative Limcoma has been pressing DA to issue such suspension.
"Briones blamed the presence of imported pork in the wet markets for a large inventory of 50,000 to 60,000 oversized hogs amid a lack of market demand," said PAMPI.
Moreover, PAMPI officials said DA has allowed a bulk of imported meat from Canada to be sold in the wet market even if it is the duty of DA to curb distribution of these meat in the wet market.
"Only meat processors should be allowed to import this meat, and this imported pork should not be sold in the market," said a PAMPI official.
PAMPI said its importation of manufacturing grade pork has not been unreasonably high compared to 2007 volume except for bellies "which has become scarce in local supply, forcing us to depend on imported sources to support the increased demand of bacons."
BAI data showed that pork imports reached 83,454 metric tons as of September 13th from 79,381 MT in the entire 2007.
ThePigSite News Desk
Meat Processors Protest Ban on Pork Imports
THE PHILIPPINES - The country’s largest group of meat processors has protested over a ban imposed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) on pork importation, warning that this could affect the supply of meat products in the coming holiday season.
In a statement on Friday, the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (PAMPI) said that it had sent a letter to Secretary Arthur Yap on September 23, requesting for the immediate lifting of the suspension of import applications for pork manufacturing-grade parts.
BusinessWorld reports that last September 16th, Mr. Yap instructed the the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) to suspend the issuance of (veterinary quarantine clearance) VCQ for pork import applications, amid pressures from Congressman Nicanor Brioners and an influential group of hog raisers.
Mr. Briones blamed the presence of imported pork in the wet markets for a large inventory of 50,000 to 60,000 oversized hogs, amid a lack of market demand.
"It is disappointing to note that the DA would unilaterally and immediately react to this allegation without a benefit of consultation on confrontation with importers and processors who are users of imported pork parts," PAMPI said.
The meat processors said the suspension of pork importation took effect without the conduct of a dialogue between PAMPI members and the hog raisers, or the DA and BAI, or among the three parties.
"It is fearful to think that the DA would actually decide to sacrifice the meat processing industry so that you could submit to the pressures that Congressman Briones and the hog raisers have applied upon your department," PAMPI said in their letter to Mr. Yap.
PAMPI claimed that the suspension of VCQ for pork importation has affected the delivery of manufacturing-grade parts needed by the meat processing industry, including pork bellies, fats, offals, and skin/rind.
Data from the BAI that show as of September 13th, pork imports reached 83,454 metric tons, compared to the 12-month importation of 79,381 MT in 2007.
PAMPI said that while the pork import volume this year appeared quite high, this cannot be traced to the importation of manufacturing-grade pork parts.
"Our importation of manufacturing grade pork parts are not unreasonably high compared to 2007 volumes, except for bellies which has become scarce in local supply, forcing us to depend on imported sources to support the increased demand of bacons," PAMPI said.
As of August 30, imports of pork bellies reached 6,503,480 kilos this year, against 3,343,918 kilos in August 2007.
PAMPI said what contributed to the surge in pork importation this year was the increase in the shipments of "cuts".
"We do not believe that the meat processors would be the importers of this category of pork parts," PAMPI said, noting that importation of cuts reached 23,761,236 kilos as of August 2008, against 4,963,011 kilos in August 2007.
"A sweeping control on, or restriction, of all pork imports will be an unfair stance for the meat processors and would challenge the enterprise system in a free economy. The distortion in market behavior of pork prices may have been introduced by the entry of huge volumes of pork cuts," PAMPI said.
PAMPI asked the government to reduce, if not suspend the importation of pork cuts, while allowing the uninterrupted sourcing of manufacturing grade parts for bellies, deboned pork parts, fats, offals, rind/skin, which are substantial raw materials for processed meat products that utilize pork-based formulations.
ThePigSite News Desk
In a statement on Friday, the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (PAMPI) said that it had sent a letter to Secretary Arthur Yap on September 23, requesting for the immediate lifting of the suspension of import applications for pork manufacturing-grade parts.
BusinessWorld reports that last September 16th, Mr. Yap instructed the the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) to suspend the issuance of (veterinary quarantine clearance) VCQ for pork import applications, amid pressures from Congressman Nicanor Brioners and an influential group of hog raisers.
Mr. Briones blamed the presence of imported pork in the wet markets for a large inventory of 50,000 to 60,000 oversized hogs, amid a lack of market demand.
"It is disappointing to note that the DA would unilaterally and immediately react to this allegation without a benefit of consultation on confrontation with importers and processors who are users of imported pork parts," PAMPI said.
The meat processors said the suspension of pork importation took effect without the conduct of a dialogue between PAMPI members and the hog raisers, or the DA and BAI, or among the three parties.
"It is fearful to think that the DA would actually decide to sacrifice the meat processing industry so that you could submit to the pressures that Congressman Briones and the hog raisers have applied upon your department," PAMPI said in their letter to Mr. Yap.
PAMPI claimed that the suspension of VCQ for pork importation has affected the delivery of manufacturing-grade parts needed by the meat processing industry, including pork bellies, fats, offals, and skin/rind.
Data from the BAI that show as of September 13th, pork imports reached 83,454 metric tons, compared to the 12-month importation of 79,381 MT in 2007.
PAMPI said that while the pork import volume this year appeared quite high, this cannot be traced to the importation of manufacturing-grade pork parts.
"Our importation of manufacturing grade pork parts are not unreasonably high compared to 2007 volumes, except for bellies which has become scarce in local supply, forcing us to depend on imported sources to support the increased demand of bacons," PAMPI said.
As of August 30, imports of pork bellies reached 6,503,480 kilos this year, against 3,343,918 kilos in August 2007.
PAMPI said what contributed to the surge in pork importation this year was the increase in the shipments of "cuts".
"We do not believe that the meat processors would be the importers of this category of pork parts," PAMPI said, noting that importation of cuts reached 23,761,236 kilos as of August 2008, against 4,963,011 kilos in August 2007.
"A sweeping control on, or restriction, of all pork imports will be an unfair stance for the meat processors and would challenge the enterprise system in a free economy. The distortion in market behavior of pork prices may have been introduced by the entry of huge volumes of pork cuts," PAMPI said.
PAMPI asked the government to reduce, if not suspend the importation of pork cuts, while allowing the uninterrupted sourcing of manufacturing grade parts for bellies, deboned pork parts, fats, offals, rind/skin, which are substantial raw materials for processed meat products that utilize pork-based formulations.
ThePigSite News Desk
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
DA bans birds, poultry products from Denmark
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is imposing a temporary ban on all imports of domestic and wild birds, along with poultry and its products, from Denmark following findings of avian influenza (AI) or bird flu virus in that country.
The temporary ban and other emergency measures are necessary to protect human health and the P60 billion poultry industry in the Philippines which has remained free of bird flu ever since the H5N1 strain of this virus first resurfaced in Asia in 2003.
The ban covers all "domestic and wild birds and their products, including day old chicks, eggs and semen."
The DA issued the ban after the office International des Epizooties (OIE) or the Animal Health Organization confirmed that low pathogenic AI has been detected in a poultry farm in Strentrup, Svendborg, Kommune, South Denmark.
The AI virus has been reportedly affected geese, chickens, ducks and mallards.
DA quarantine offices and inspectors at all major airports and seaports have been ordered to stop and confiscate all incoming shipments of live birds, poultry and poultry products coming from Denmark.
The DA suspended the issuance of veterinary quarantine clearances (VQCs) to all imports covering birds and poultry products from Denmark.
Besides Denmark, the Philippines currently bans imports of birds, poultry and its products from Korea, Saudi Arabia, Poland and the western African coun try of Benin.
The Philippines is one of the only three AI-free countries in Southeast Asia.
The two others are Brunei and Singapore.
The temporary ban and other emergency measures are necessary to protect human health and the P60 billion poultry industry in the Philippines which has remained free of bird flu ever since the H5N1 strain of this virus first resurfaced in Asia in 2003.
The ban covers all "domestic and wild birds and their products, including day old chicks, eggs and semen."
The DA issued the ban after the office International des Epizooties (OIE) or the Animal Health Organization confirmed that low pathogenic AI has been detected in a poultry farm in Strentrup, Svendborg, Kommune, South Denmark.
The AI virus has been reportedly affected geese, chickens, ducks and mallards.
DA quarantine offices and inspectors at all major airports and seaports have been ordered to stop and confiscate all incoming shipments of live birds, poultry and poultry products coming from Denmark.
The DA suspended the issuance of veterinary quarantine clearances (VQCs) to all imports covering birds and poultry products from Denmark.
Besides Denmark, the Philippines currently bans imports of birds, poultry and its products from Korea, Saudi Arabia, Poland and the western African coun try of Benin.
The Philippines is one of the only three AI-free countries in Southeast Asia.
The two others are Brunei and Singapore.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
USDA to ban downer cattle slaughter
By Janie Gabbett on 5/20/2008 for Meatingplace.com
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer on Tuesday announced his intention to ban slaughter of cattle at federally inspected facilities that go down after initial inspection.
"Today I am announcing that USDA will begin working on a proposed rule to prohibit the slaughter of all disabled non-ambulatory cattle, also known as 'downer cattle.' In other words, I am calling for the end of the exceptions in the so called 'downer rule,'" Schafer said in a statement.
Under current regulations, a downed cow can still be slaughtered if a USDA inspector reassesses the animal and determines it is still safe for consumption. An example would be an animal that tripped and broke a limb, rather than fell due to illness. The rule became controversial after USDA recalled 143 million pounds of beef in the wake of video that showed downed cattle at Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. seemingly headed to slaughter without re-inspection.
Schafer said the current rule has been "challenging to communicate and has, at times, been confusing to consumers." He characterized Tuesday's decision as a way to simplify the issue and positively impact humane cattle handling by reducing the incentive to send marginally weakened cattle to market.
Impact
Schafer minimized the impact of the decision on slaughter facilities, noting that last year, of the nearly 34 million slaughtered cattle, fewer than 1,000 cattle that were re-inspected were actually approved by the veterinarian for slaughter.
"This represents less than 0.003 percent of cattle slaughtered annually. As you can see, this number is minimal," said Schafer.
The decision comes at the end of a 60-day enhanced surveillance period when USDA inspectors were instructed to spend 50 percent to 100 percent more time verifying and documenting humane handling practices at federally inspected plants. Schafer said USDA is still analyzing those results.
The American Meat Institute, which along with the National Meat Association and the National Milk Producers Federation had petitioned USDA in April requesting this move applauded today's action. The Humane Society of the United States, which was responsible for video taping animal abuse at Hallmark/Westland, also praised the move.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer on Tuesday announced his intention to ban slaughter of cattle at federally inspected facilities that go down after initial inspection.
"Today I am announcing that USDA will begin working on a proposed rule to prohibit the slaughter of all disabled non-ambulatory cattle, also known as 'downer cattle.' In other words, I am calling for the end of the exceptions in the so called 'downer rule,'" Schafer said in a statement.
Under current regulations, a downed cow can still be slaughtered if a USDA inspector reassesses the animal and determines it is still safe for consumption. An example would be an animal that tripped and broke a limb, rather than fell due to illness. The rule became controversial after USDA recalled 143 million pounds of beef in the wake of video that showed downed cattle at Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. seemingly headed to slaughter without re-inspection.
Schafer said the current rule has been "challenging to communicate and has, at times, been confusing to consumers." He characterized Tuesday's decision as a way to simplify the issue and positively impact humane cattle handling by reducing the incentive to send marginally weakened cattle to market.
Impact
Schafer minimized the impact of the decision on slaughter facilities, noting that last year, of the nearly 34 million slaughtered cattle, fewer than 1,000 cattle that were re-inspected were actually approved by the veterinarian for slaughter.
"This represents less than 0.003 percent of cattle slaughtered annually. As you can see, this number is minimal," said Schafer.
The decision comes at the end of a 60-day enhanced surveillance period when USDA inspectors were instructed to spend 50 percent to 100 percent more time verifying and documenting humane handling practices at federally inspected plants. Schafer said USDA is still analyzing those results.
The American Meat Institute, which along with the National Meat Association and the National Milk Producers Federation had petitioned USDA in April requesting this move applauded today's action. The Humane Society of the United States, which was responsible for video taping animal abuse at Hallmark/Westland, also praised the move.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
China suspends imports from three U.S. meat and poultry plants
By Tom Johnston on 5/13/2008 for Meatingplace.com
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said China has banned imports of meat and poultry from three U.S. protein processing facilities.
Now ineligible to export to China until further notice are products produced or stored at Swift Pork Co., Louisville, Ky.; Mountaire Farms Inc., Lumber Bridge, N.C.; and Meadowbrook Farms Cooperative, Rantoul, Ill.
Meat and poultry products produced at other facilities from raw materials originating from these establishments are also not eligible for export to China.
The latest de-listings brings to 16 the number of U.S. meat and poultry establishments on China's list of ineligible U.S. exporters.
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said China has banned imports of meat and poultry from three U.S. protein processing facilities.
Now ineligible to export to China until further notice are products produced or stored at Swift Pork Co., Louisville, Ky.; Mountaire Farms Inc., Lumber Bridge, N.C.; and Meadowbrook Farms Cooperative, Rantoul, Ill.
Meat and poultry products produced at other facilities from raw materials originating from these establishments are also not eligible for export to China.
The latest de-listings brings to 16 the number of U.S. meat and poultry establishments on China's list of ineligible U.S. exporters.
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