The US has suspended imports from fresh beef from Brazil, with Washington citing “recurring concerns” over product safety.
Since March, when Brazil’s federal police launched an investigation into alleged bribery and unsanitary practices at a number of the country’s meat processing plants, the US has inspected all meat imports coming from the South American country and has rejected 11% of shipments of fresh beef due to, Washington said “public health concerns, sanitary conditions, and animal health issues”.
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In a statement yesterday, the US Department of Agriculture said the Brazilian government had “pledged to address those concerns, including by self-suspending five facilities from shipping beef to the United States”. Brazil put the suspension in place earlier this week.
However, the USDA added: “Today’s action to suspend all fresh beef shipments from Brazil supersedes the self-suspension.”
USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue added: “Although international trade is an important part of what we do at USDA, and Brazil has long been one of our partners, my first priority is to protect American consumers. That’s what we’ve done by halting the import of Brazilian fresh beef.”
