February 14, 2005

Australia concerned over Brazilian beef shipments

Australia's Cattle Council is demanding to know how an 450 kg shipment of Brazilian beef received approval without prior assessment of the disease risks.

Two packets of the beef have been discovered in a tip at Wagga Wagga, but it's not known how they came to be there.

Beef imports from Brazil were banned on Christmas Eve last year, following a confirmation of foot-and-mouth disease in the zone where the shipment was sourced.

Although a subsequent test showed the cattle were FMD free, the council says Australia's beef customers are wary of Brazilian beef because of the potential disease risks.

The Cattle Council's Brett De Hayr says the shipment should have never been allowed into Australia and wants answers from the Federal Government.

"It's essential from our view that an in-country assessment be done, so we can actually have a feel for the systems in Brazil, particularly the border security areas, which are a major concern of ours; and then secondly the reaction of our trading partners.

"None of our major trading partners, at this point in time, accept product from the FMD-free zones in Brazil with vaccination."

The Federal Opposition says it will use tomorrow's Senate estimates hearing to try to find out how some of the Brazilian beef ended up in the Wagga Wagga tip.