May 26, 2008

US to inspect Brazilian beef

The USDA Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services said it would send a technical mission to Brazil's Santa Catarina to assess fresh beef and pork conditions.

The announcement was made after a Brazil-US agricultural meeting on Monday (May 19) in Brazil. The inspections were slated between June 9 and 13, 2008.

Santa Catarina is the only state in Brazil recognised by the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) to be free of foot and mouth disease without vaccination.

The US has not recognised the regionalisation principle for phytosanitary measures in previous years, but Brazilian authorities are optimistic that the US would change its stance, as it is also a member of the World Trade Organisation.

WTO has recently agreed to recognise this principle, although it will not be mandatory for its members to accept it.