Brazilian Fresh Beef Imported in U.S.

Many beef producers are concerned about the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection rules for the Importation of fresh beef and frozen beef products from Northern Argentina and a region in Brazil into the United States. Two counties that have had foot and mouth disease in the past.

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association has been strongly opposed to this regulation; not on the basis of trade but rather on the basis of animal health concerns.

In defense of the rule APHS Administrator Kevin Shea says regions cleared to send beef haven't had a case of foot and mouth disease for the past nine years.

Shea: We did site visits, we reviewed all the literature. We looked at their veterinary infrastructure."

The final rule requires

Shea: "Inspection before and after slaughter. The animals be deboned and that the lymphnoids be removed and that the pH level is moved to a level where foot and mouth disease can not exist."

It is estimated by Brazil's ag ministry that in five years, Brazil could export 100,000 tonnes of fresh beef to the United States annually.

NCBA states that The effect of an FMD outbreak in the United States would be devastating to animal agriculture and the entire U.S. economy with estimates for total economic losses ranging from $37 billion to $228 billion, depending on the size of an outbreak.