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USMEF Puts Taiwan Ban into Perspective

The move by Taiwan to amendment its food sanitation law will force it to ban all skulls, brains, eyes, spinal cord, offals and ground beef from the United States and any country that has had a case of BSE until the 10th anniversary of that case.  Of the three cases identified in the United States, the latest was found March 15, 2006. The legislature also approved a resolution to restrict U.S. beef imports to products derived from cattle less than 30 months of age. While this resolution is nonbinding, Taiwan may implement changes to its import requirements that reflect the resolution's intent.

U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Philip Seng says that before expanding beef trade with the United States in October of last year, Taiwan's best scientists determined the safety of U.S. beef through a thorough and extensive risk assessment. That effort has now been largely cast aside, as this policy shows no regard for OIE guidelines or the controlled risk status held by both the United States and Taiwan with regard to BSE.