April 26, 2012

 

US reports first mad cow case in six years

 

 

Swiftly assuring consumers and global importers that there was no danger of meat from the California dairy cow entering the food chain, US authorities reported the country's first case of mad cow disease in six years on Tuesday (Apr 24).

 

Even though US authorities have assured consumers, Asia's top beef importers are likely to be cautious in dealing with US beef imports.

 

Following fact box shows how top importers have reacted to outbreaks of mad cow disease in the US before. Some of them imposed restrictions while others have banned imports.

 

Japan was the biggest export market for US beef until bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, hit American cows in 2003, prompting a ban on US imports that has only ever been partially lifted.

 

After prolonged bilateral talks, Tokyo agreed in 2005 to resume US beef imports but only from cattle aged 20 months or younger, one of the world's strictest import rules on cattle age.

 

Before the latest outbreak, Japan, Asia's top destination for US beef, was expected relax restrictions on US shipments and increase imports because of growing demand for medium grade grain-fed beef.

 

Japan's strong opposition to removing the age restriction on US beef has been a thorn in ties between the allies, although its Food Safety Commission has been assessing the risk of easing the limit to 30 months.

 

Japan imported 517,000 tonnes of beef in 2011, to meet its annual consumption of 868,000 tonnes. The balance about 40% or 351,000 tonnes was met by locally produced beef. In 2011, Australia accounted for two-thirds of Japan's total imported beef market.

 

Two major South Korean retailers have halted sales of US beef after the latest outbreak of mad cow disease and the country's agriculture ministry looked set to move towards banning quarantine inspections, a move that would effectively end imports.

 

South Korea banned imports of American beef in 2003 following an outbreak of mad cow disease but eased the ban later by allowing imports of boneless beef from cattle younger than 30 months. South Korea imported 107,000 tonnes of US beef last year, or 37% of total imports, according to agriculture ministry data.

 

Beef imports by South Korea, the second largest market for US beef in Asia, are forecast to come down to 390,000 tonnes in 2012 from 431,000 tonnes bought a year ago, with the domestic production likely to climb higher, according to the USDA.

 

Earlier this year, Seoul lifted a nine-year-old import ban on Canadian beef, removing one of the obstacles to a free-trade deal. Seoul agreed to accept beef from cattle below 30 months of age.

 

Taiwan imported 35,443 tonnes of US beef in 2011, down 8% from a year earlier, according to US Meat Export Federation Data. Taiwan first banned imports of US beef in December 2003 following the US first case of BSE but in April 2005 it resumed imports of boneless US beef from cattle under 30 months old, only to stop them again in June that year after another US mad cow case.

 

In October 2009, Taiwan signed an agreement with the US to allow imports of bone-in beef, ground beef and other products from cattle under 30 months old, stirring public protests among consumer activists and farmers that forced the government, two months later, to ban ground beef and beef organs imports.

 

In 2011 Taiwan banned imports of any US beef products containing a leanness-enhancing additive called ractopamine, triggering US protests. Taiwan bans the additive, though it is allowed in several other countries. A proposal by Taiwan's government in March this year to partially lift the ban on ractopamine enhanced beef imports in a bid to kick start the trade talks triggered a large public protest by angry farmers and food safety activists during which government buildings were pelted with eggs and manure.