Brazil’s Ag Ministry is projecting fresh beef exports from their country will return to the United States the first quarter of 2018. Gary Deering, President of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association says that concerns him. He says there is a lot of corruption and fraud in Brazil, as well as issues with foot and mouth disease. So, his group is monitoring this trade development very closely.
He says the safety of the U.S. cattle industry and the American food supply should be taken into consideration with any trade decision like this one.
Deering says with more imported meat coming into the U.S. that will make federal funding of a Foot and Mouth Vaccine Disease Bank even more critical.
The chief executive of Brazilian meat packer Minerva confirmed this week the country’s ag ministry had consulted with them on resuming exports to the U.S. in 2018. At the same time, Brazil is also attempting to get Russia to lift their ban on their beef.
