U.S. Allows Beef Imports from Ireland

Tweet

January 8, 2015

    On January 5, 2015, Ireland became the first European Union nation to be permitted to import beef products into the United States.  Once the beef plants fully meet U.S. standards, Ireland will be able to import their beef products.  The U.S. restricted beef, sheep, and goat products from the European Union in 1998 due to outbreaks of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease.  In 2013, the U.S. changed their rules regarding mad cow disease.  According to the new regulations, beef classified as having a “negligible risk,” “controlled risk” or “undetermined risk” may be imported to the U.S. if higher risk beef is removed.

    The Irish Minister of Agriculture Simon Coveney stated, “We [Ireland] now have first-mover advantage as a result of being the first EU member state to gain entry.”  From January 2014 to October 2014, the U.S. imported 2.4 billion pounds of beef.  EU Health Commissioner Vytenis Adriukaitis commented, “This re-opening of the market is a welcome first step to abolish the disproportionate and unjustified U.S. ban that followed the BSE crisis of the 1990’s, and to re-establish normal tradition conditions.”

For more information, please continue to visit www.barnesrichardson.com.