Brazil will remove barriers to U.S. beef and beef imports that were imposed in 2003 in the name of preventing mad cow disease, said the Agriculture Department, pointing to “excellent long-term potential for U.S. beef exporters.” At the same time and “in a separate decision,” the USDA said Brazil would be allowed to send chilled or frozen beef to U.S. buyers.
The activist group R-CALF USA called the dual announcements “a political tit for tat” that could harm U.S. ranchers because Brazil continues “to battle foot-and-mouth disease and other dangerous livestock diseases.” The group, mainly representing cow-calf ranchers in the Plains, said Brazilian imports would drive down market prices for U.S. cattle.
“The United States looks forward to providing Brazil’s 200 million-plus consumers, and growing middle class, with high-quality American beef and beef products,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The USDA said a multiyear scientific review indicated that Brazil’s food-safety system was equivalent to U.S. standards, so it will be safe to import beef from the country.