October 13, 2005

EU bans Brazilian beef following FMD outbreak

The European Commission (EC) said it has banned beef coming from Brazil's Mato Grosso do Sul state, due to the recent foot-and-mouth disease, or FMD outbreak there.

Between 55 and 60 percent of Brazilian beef exports to the EU would be affected by the ban, according to industry reports.

The EC said the ban would be made official very soon and would apply to all slaughtered meat starting from September 30.

Meanwhile, Brazil's government has banned exports from slaughterhouses in five municipalities within 25 kilometres of the outbreak.

So far, 582 cattle and 8 hogs have tested positive for FMD and all have been culled, according to the Brazilian government. 

Meanwhile, Uruguay and Chile have also banned Brazilian beef and pork due to the disease.

Uruguay's government had imposed sanitary controls in all border areas, including vehicle fumigation. Chile had also imposed similar measures on vehicles entering the country.

Uruguayan officials might send experts to assess the extent of the FMD outbreak 25 kilometres from the Paraguayan border.

Chilean authorities said the strict preventive measures would continue, until the Brazilian government could prove that no new outbreaks had occurred for at least six months.