NCBA, R-CALF Both Critical Of Brazil Beef’s Return To US

Two of the nation’s most vocal cattle groups are both critical of USDA’s decision late last week to reopen U.S. markets to imports of raw beef from Brazil. USDA said Friday that the world’s largest beef exporter had taken the right steps to improve its food-safety inspection system, bringing it up to U.S. standards.

However, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says it still has “serious concerns” about Brazil returning to the market. Senior Director of International Trade Kent Bacus says the group has questioned the lack of scientific evidence used to justify Brazil first gaining access to the U.S. over four years ago. He added that given Brazil’s history with foot-and-mouth disease and track record of repeated food safety violations at ports-of-entry, NCBA would keep a close watch on future imports from Brazil.

Meanwhile, the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund or R-CALF called USDA’s decision, quote: “a deliberate attempt to destabilize the U.S. cattle industry.” In a statement Monday, R-CALF CEO Bill Bullard said that imports from Brazil and the African nation of Namibia were intended to support multinational meatpackers by exploiting consumers while harming American cattle producers with cheaper foreign beef. The U.S. revoked Brazil’s access to the market in the wake of a bribery scandal in 2017 involving inspectors at Brazilian meat packing facilities.