April 13, 2011
 

US presses Taiwan to be lenient on beef exports

Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) from the US said they submitted a bipartisan letter to Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou to encourage Taiwan to reduce restrictions on US beef exports.

In the letter, the senators call into question Taiwan's recent rejection of shipments of US beef based on findings of trace amounts of the feed additive ractopamine.

The lawmakers noted that ractopamine is recognised as safe by the USDA and that the Joint Food and Agriculture Orgnisation/World Health Organisation Expert Committee on Food Additives (JEFCA) has recommended the adoption of maximum residue levels (MRL) in beef and pork, and Taiwan's own risk assessment in 2007 found that ractopamine was safe for use.

"Taiwan's current zero-tolerance policy lacks scientific standing," the senators wrote in the letter, urging Taiwan to implement an MRL immediately and establish uniform inspection procedures.

"It is our hope that these continued misinterpretations concerning the safety of US beef can be resolved quickly in order to resume a stable and predictable trading environment for our US beef industry and dependable supply for Taiwanese consumers," the senators wrote.

The letter was also signed by 18 other senators from both sides of the political aisle.