March 10, 2010

Australia's beef import delay triggers strong response

 

The US and the EU have reacted with concern and surprise to the Australia government's decision to delay for at least two years the importation of beef from countries exposed to mad cow disease.

Officials from the two major trading partners responded strongly to Agriculture Minister Tony Burke's decision to order a full risk analysis of beef imports from countries where bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, has been reported.

The review is aimed at calming community fears over the lifting of a blanket ban on beef imports from countries that have had the disease.

US embassy agricultural counsellor Grant Pettrie said his nation was both "surprised and concerned" about the decision, declaring that US beef was rigorously tested and completely safe.

Pettrie said US ambassador Jeff Bleich would raise the issue in a previously scheduled meeting with Burke.

"US beef is safe," Pettrie said. "Our testing regime is very rigorous." He said the US had only had three cases of BSE, the most recent being four years ago.

EU delegation spokesman Roger Camilleri said Australia's decision sent the "wrong signals" on protectionism as world trade ministers tried to conclude the Doha Round of free trade talks. "We're very surprised at the decision and it does give us some areas for concern," he said.

Camilleri said the EU was surprised because the science was "very clear" that its beef posed no health risk to Australia.

Both EU and US officials could not comment on the prospect of a complaint to the World Trade Organisation about the two-year review. Burke said on Monday (Mar 8) that the review would not put Australia in breach of its trade obligations.

The initial decision to lift the ban on beef imports from BSE countries followed a threat by meat exporters, including Canada, to go to the WTO over unfair trade barriers.

The diplomatic tension came as Parliamentary Secretary for Health Mark Butler vowed to introduce new labelling laws to ensure consumers were informed about the origins of beef and beef products.

He ordered a Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) review of labelling standards and said he would seek an agreement from the industry about a new labelling system for beef products, including meat pies.