August 3, 2016

Brazil lifts 13-year ban on US beef

Brazil has lifted a 13-year ban on US beef imports after an agreement was reached between the country's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply and the US Department of Agriculture.

"After many years of diligently working to regain access to the Brazilian market, the United States welcomes the news that Brazil has removed all barriers to US beef and beef product exports," US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said.

The US is currently classified by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) as a country with negligible risk for BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease), and Brazil's action is seen as an alignment of its regulations to the OIE's scientific international animal health guidelines.

"We are pleased that Brazil, a major agricultural producing and trading country, has aligned with science-based international standards, and we encourage other nations to do the same", Vilsack said.

Since last year, according to him, USDA has eliminated BSE-related restrictions in 16 countries, regaining market access for US beef.