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Details of China/U.S. beef protocol discussions start to emerge

 

More details are starting to emerge on the beef protocol discussions between China and the U.S.

Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist Derrell Peel says one of the requirements will be source verification.

“However, I think that’s pretty doable in what we call a ‘bookend’ system in the U.S, if we can document the original source of the cattle as well as where they ended up at the processing plant, and not necessarily all of the travels in between,” Peel says.

China will also require that beef be free from residue of beta-agonists, the growth promoting feed additive, Peel says.

“The Chinese have been very consistent, in both beef and pork, at not accepting ractopamine—or, in beef, Optaflexx is the same product,” he says. “That’s likely to be the case for us as well. That would be consistent with their agreements with other countries.”

Peel says there will like be restrictions on other growth hormones used in the U.S. Contacted by Brownfield, USDA’s Foreign Ag Service (FAS) confirmed that hormone residue testing will be done on beef entering China, but there will be a distinction made between synthetic and naturally occurring hormones. Meat containing synthetic hormone residue will be rejected. Meat containing residue of naturally-occurring hormones will only be rejected if the levels are above those naturally occurring in cattle.

Other details of the protocol discussions, confirmed by FAS, include China’s acceptance of U.S. fresh, chilled beef products, as well as frozen, and beef from animals 30 months or younger. China has also agreed to recognize USDA’s certification of processing plants for export, which means plants will not have to be inspected separately by Chinese officials.

AUDIO: Derrell Peel