Brazil’s Ag Minister has announced the United States will allow Brazil fresh beef into the country.
Consumer activist group Food & Water Watch and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association have major concerns over the action.
“NCBA has frequently questioned the lack of scientific evidence that was used to justify Brazil’s initial access to the U.S. market in 2016, and unfortunately, we were not surprised when Brazil forfeited its beef access to the U.S. in 2017 due to numerous food safety violations,” the organization’s Senior Director of International Trade and Market Access Kent Bacus said in a statement.
According to the Oklahoma Farm Report, the USDA has no mention of the action on its website however it is being extensively reported by Brazilian news outlets and the country’s Minister of Agriculture.
In December of 2019, 70 percent of beef plants sampled were found to have strains of listeria bacteria.
The NCBA says they will keep a focus on all the developments in Brazil.
“The re-entry of Brazilian beef to the U.S. market only further exacerbates concerns about the use of “Product of USA” labels on beef sold in the United States,” Bacus said. “As the trusted leader and definitive voice of the U.S. beef industry, NCBA will continue leading conversations with USDA and the entire supply chain to address any labels that may allow imported beef to carry a “Product of USA” label.”