Meat + Poultry - May 2008 - 23

INTERNATIONAL

Photo courtesy of USMEF

Imports of U.S. poultry
to Chile approved

U.S., South Korea reach agreement
on beef trade
After more than four years of trade negotiations, the U.S. and South
Korea have fi nally reached an agreement to allow U.S. beef imports
into the country. Imports are anticipated to begin this month and expand in phases.
Under the agreement, Seoul will allow American beef imports from
cattle younger than 30 months, including cuts with bones. Beef from
older cattle will also be cleared for import after the U.S. strengthens
controls on feed to reduce chances of infection, South Korea's Agriculture Ministry said.
U.S. negotiators were commended by the American Meat Institute
for their efforts in communicating the many safeguards that are in
place making U.S. beef among the safest in the world. "Resumption of
trade is a long overdue but very welcome development," said Patrick
Boyle, AMI president. "The facts clearly demonstrate U.S. beef safety.
We are gratified that now consumers in Korea will soon have access
to our products."
In 2003, trade with South Korea - the third-largest market for U.S.
beef - came to a halt after the U.S. announced its fi rst case of bovine
spongiform encephalopathy in an imported cow. An enhanced surveillance program was then initiated by the U.S. to prevent any more cases
in the U.S. Approximately 750,000 BSE tests have been conducted during the enhanced surveillance program and only two more cases were
found. This led U.S. officials to conclude that the risk of BSE in the U.S.
is so low that it is nearly incalculable.
Restricted imports resumed in April 2007, but have been on hold
since October after a shipment containing banned beef parts was delivered from the U.S. to South Korea.
This beef ban has been costly over the years. Philip Seng, president
and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, said: "Our industry has
lost between $3.5 billion and $4 billion in beef exports to South Korea
since the end of 2003."
24

MEAT&POULTRY

May 2008

www.MEATPOULTRY.com

Chile's Livestock and Agricultural Service approved the U.S. inspection, control and certification systems for poultry, which allows
these products to enter the Chilean market
effective immediately, Agriculture Secretary
Ed Schafer announced April 10.
Under the agreement, slaughterhouses,
cold-storage plants and processing facilities
of poultry that are officially reported by the
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's Food Safety and
Inspection Service will be incorporated into
the list of commercial establishments approved
to export their products to Chile. The agreement also includes regular on-site audits by
Chile's Livestock and Agricultural Service to
verify the inspection, control and certification systems.
On Dec. 3, 2007, FSIS began allowing Chile
to export poultry and poultry products to the
United States. FSIS determined that Chile's
laws, regulations and other supporting documentation showed its poultry-inspection system includes requirements that are equivalent
to all provisions in FSIS' Poultry Products Inspection Act and its implementing regulations.
FSIS will verify - through on-site reviews and
port-of-entry testing - that establishments certified by the government of Chile continue to
meet all U.S. requirements.

U.S.-Colombia FTA
dead in the water
The House, by a largely partisan vote of 224
to 195, approved a rule (H Res 1092) stopping
the 90-day legislative deadline on the U.S.-Colombia Free-Trade Agreement, putting action
on hold - perhaps for the rest of the year, according to the American Meat Institute.
AMI said this action continues to put
U.S. exporters at a disadvantage because
they must continue paying import duties
on U.S. products going into Colombia while
Colombia enjoys duty-free access to the U.S.
Beef and pork will benefit from improved
market access. The United States and Colombia have worked to resolve food-safety
related barriers to agricultural trade, including food safety inspection procedures for
beef, pork and poultry.

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Meat + Poultry - May 2008

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