WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2014 – USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to allow imports of fresh beef from northern Argentina once safety concerns are met to ensure against the transmission of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
At the request of the government of Argentina, APHIS conducted a risk assessment that indicated that chilled or frozen beef could be safely imported from the region provided certain conditions are met. The assessment, which included five visits to Argentina, concluded that the South American nation is able to comply with U.S. import restrictions.
APHIS does not recognize countries or regions that continue to vaccinate against FMD as free of the disease. Since FMD vaccinations continue in northern Argentina, APHIS cannot recognize this region as free of FMD. However, APHIS can evaluate the risk presented by fresh or frozen beef products imported under specific conditions. The proposed rule to allow fresh or frozen beef from northern Argentina is based on this type of analysis, the agency said.
Once published in the Federal Register, the public will have 60 days to comment on the proposed rule and accompanying economic analysis and risk analysis.
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