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US moves closer to allowing imports of beef from Brazil, Argentina |
The US market has opened to fresh beef imports from Brazil and Argentina, ending a long period of restriction, the US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service revealed yesterday (29 June).
The APHIS said the move reflected amended regulations that mitigate the risk of spreading foot-and-mouth disease. "This is the first step of a process for these regions to gain access to the U.S. market for beef," said APHIS.
Exporters from Brazil and Argentina also need to meet food safety standards before being granted access to the US market.
The move was welcomed by Brazilian meat giant Marfrig. "We would like to congratulate the Brazilian government for the successful completion of this important negotiation."
The company said it is "very well positioned" to benefit through the operations of its Keystone division.
Increasing exports of beef from Brazil is a key strategy for Marfrig, the group revealed last week, when it announced the sale of its European poultry unit, Moy Park, to JBS. Click here for analysis of the deal.
