Two senators from the Plains filed a resolution on Monday to overturn USDA approval of imports of chilled or frozen deboned beef from Paraguay. Sens. Jon Tester, Montana Democrat, and Mike Rounds, South Dakota Republican, said they were worried about the possible transmission of foot and mouth disease.
A 1996 law empowers Congress to void rules issued by federal agencies if both chambers pass a resolution of disapproval in a fairly short period of time. The president can sign or veto such resolutions.
“Montana ranchers produce the best beef in the world, and it’s clear that the USDA doesn’t have the data to show that Paraguay meets the same animal health standards,” said Tester. Rounds said Paraguay “has historically struggled to contain outbreaks of food and mouth disease.”
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said last November that it would allow imports of fresh beef from Paraguay following a risk assessment. It set conditions, such as inspection of animals before and after slaughter, to assure the meat did not come from diseased cattle. The USDA said it expected no more than 6,500 metric tons of beef would be imported; there is a quota on meat from Paraguay.
Eight cattle and farm groups said they opposed the imports as an unnecessary risk to U.S. cattle. They said USDA relied on outdated data in deciding to allow the meat imports and has not inspected Paraguayan facilities in nearly a decade.