The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will allow fresh beef imports from Argentina and Brazil under certain conditions to reduce the risk of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
The move comes after an assessment found Argentina and Brazil to be compliant with US import certification requirements.
Under the amended rules, APHIS will allow fresh (chilled or frozen) beef from Northern Argentina, which has been identified as free of FMD.
In addition, Brazilian states of Bahia, Distrito Federal, Espirito Santo, Goias, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Parana, Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, Rondonia, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, and Tocantis will also secure access to the US beef market.
Both the regions are required to follow the same import conditions imposed on fresh beef and ovine meat from Uruguay, in order to ensure that the imported products are not contaminated with the FMD virus.
Brazil and Argentina must meet food safety standards before exporting any beef to the US.
USDA will assess their compliance with US standards through a review of their regulatory programs and an in-country audit of their food safety systems.
