The Australian Beef Association (ABA) is demanding to know why there is a major difference in data supplied by the US and Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) regarding the quantity of US beef exports into Australia in 2000, prior to the BSE ban.

ABA Chairman Brad Bellinger said: "Evidence presented by the ABA at the Third Senate hearing into impacts and consequences to relax import restrictions on beef contradicts claims by MLA and Red Meat Advisory Council (RMAC) that only 34 tonnes of beef were imported from the US per annum in the years prior to the December 2003 ban on USA imports".

The USA trade data shows that as much as 2,999 tonnes was imported from the US in 2000.

Bellinger had asked how conflicting trade data provided by Food Standards Australian and New Zealand (FSANZ) and AQIS compared with that supplied by US Government sources can be explained.

As such, he raised concern if FSANZ can be relied on with the administrating and implementing systems to ensure US beef producers, processors and traders comply with BSE safety procedures.

The level of misinformation surrounding the BSE import issue is alarming, he added.