20 March 2024
We invite you to comment on the draft review by 11.59 pm on Monday 20 May 2024.
The draft report is available for review and comment on our Have Your Say website.
Draft review of fresh beef and beef products derived from bovines born and raised in Canada or Mexico and legally imported and slaughtered in the United States.
In 2020, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) clarified its original request for expanded market access for beef. This includes for beef sourced from bovines legally imported into the United States from Canada or Mexico.
We have drafted an addendum to our 2017 review of fresh (chilled or frozen) beef and beef products from Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United States and Vanuatu – final review (the beef review). It considers current and available information on bovine diseases relevant to fresh beef and beef products derived from bovines legally imported into the United States from Canada or Mexico.
The release of this draft provides stakeholders with the opportunity to comment on the review’s findings that the current USDA protocols for the import of bovines from Canada and Mexico apply control measures which can address Australia’s biosecurity concerns for beef sourced from immediate slaughter and other-than-immediate slaughter bovines legally imported from Canada and immediate slaughter, feeder and breeder bovines legally imported from Mexico.
The 60-day comment period on this draft will commence on Wednesday 20 March 2024 and will conclude at 11.59pm Monday 20 May 2024. Following the consultation period, we will consider all comments in preparing a final report.
We will assess whether there is any difference in the biosecurity risk for fresh beef and beef products to be exported to Australia when derived from bovines legally imported into the United States from Mexico or Canada. The report also considers the food safety issues covered in the beef review and evaluates whether the same situation holds for bovines legally imported into the United States. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has completed an assessment of Mexico’s bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) status, with a favourable outcome, and is undertaking a BSE food safety risk assessment of Canada in line with its published assessment guidelines.
All submissions received will be carefully considered when finalising this review.
Submissions should be received through the Have Your Say page.
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Dr Peter Finnin
Assistant Secretary
Animal Biosecurity
Email: animalbiosecurity@aff.gov.au