The first Argentina beef imports since 2001 arrived in the United States on March 1. Last November the U.S. lifted its ban on beef from Argentina that was imposed after an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in 2001. U.S. Cattlemen Association’s Lia Biondo says their members are still concerned about an FMD outbreak in Argentina or other South American countries and want imports to be closely monitored.
She says current USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service rules need to be enforced.
Biondo says if FMD got into the U.S. it would be devastating and that’s also why it was important a vaccine bank was included in the 2018 farm bill.
Biondo says USCA will continue to work with USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and U.S. Customs officials to make sure they thoroughly evaluate all beef imports.
