The United States has moved to end a long running ban on beef imports from the UK. The ban, which was instated in 1997 amid fear over BSE, may be repealed following the drafting of a bill by the US Department of Agriculture.

The new Bill will align US bovine import conditions with the World Organisations for Animal Health (OIE) standards on BSE, and appears to be part of a series of measures aimed at liberalising trade between the US and EU. Other initiatives have included facilitating the exchange of organic goods between the two economies.

The move, which comes against decisions to ban produce from regions affected by the new Schmallenberg virus, which can cause spontaneous abortion and congenital abnormalities in fetuses of affected ruminants, from countries including Russia, Kazakhstan, India and Mexico, has been welcomed by the UK industry.

The bill would hopefully also expediate uptake of European goods which have been subject to restrictions following an EU ban on hormone treated beef from the USA and Canada since 1988. Earlier in the year, the US and Europe moved towards measures that would see increased meat and dairy imports from Europe resulting in more hormone-free meat imports from North America into Europe; the end of such measures will principally benefit France and Italy, as producers of specialist and regionally protected goods.

Commenting on the bill, NFU chief livestock adviser Peter Garbutt stated, “The beef industry has gone through a difficult number of years but since 2006 more export markets have opened and beef exports have increased year on year driving returns for producers. This move would open up further export opportunities for UK producers and I believe we can be positive and optimistic about our market prospects in the future”.

Tweet