BSE
AgForce backs industry safety
Click here to read the latest on Food Standards Australia (FSANZ) BSE policy: http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumerinformation/bovinespongiformencephalopathybse/
AgForce Cattle is backing the BSE policy of Food Standard’s Australia (FSANZ) and the Red Meat Advisory Council (RMAC) and has been disappointed with the politicisation of discussions in recent weeks.
AgForce’s cattle producing members are represented by a group of 6 producers on the national peak industry body, the Cattle Council of Australia. In turn CCA is a member of the Red Meat Advisory Council, the peak advisory body for the whole red-meat and livestock industry.
RMAC has for many years been advocating for a change to the previous standard in the Australian Food Standards Code that stated: "all beef and beef products in Australia is to be derived from cattle that are BSE free".
The policy stated that beef could not be imported or sold from countries that have detected BSE, which without further information would seem to be sensible. However an unintended consequence of this standard is that in the event of even a single case of BSE being detected in any Australian state or territory, all Australian beef would be removed from the shelves. So as an example if there was a detected case from one single animal in Tasmania, then it would be highly likely that beef sales in Queensland would be banned, removed from retail shelves and possibly subject to a product recall. This is the “beef off the shelves” issue.
For the past five years AgForce, CCA, RMAC and other industry groups including processors have focused on fixing the “beef off the shelves” issue in Australia, to alleviate the risk that a case of BSE in any part of Australia would require all beef to be removed from shelves, unnecessarily costing the economy millions of dollars.
The easy option was for the beef industry to ‘do nothing’ – but in the unlikely event even a single BSE detection occurred in Australia, all beef could be removed from all domestic shelves at enormous expense. Furthermore, any of Australia’s 105 export markets could lock us out for 10 years, crippling the industry.
We, as an export focused industry, whether it is by beef or live cattle trade cannot act in a way that threatens our market access or the progress of trade liberalisation that gives us market access. The risk to domestic market if we lost even a week of supply is huge, and would require a huge allocation of levy dollars to regain consumers’ trust, let alone the impact if Australia lost our export markets.
This policy adjustment does not allow any country that has had BSE to commence freely exporting to Australia, as robust risk assessment protocols will be maintained, with CCA and the NFF continuing their input into these assessments. To access the Australian market, applications must be made by potential foreign suppliers, which will continue to be assessed individually and on merit, taking into account all of Australia’s requirements under existing protocols.
This policy change is BSE-specific, meaning there will be no change to Australia’s other import protocols having to be met, including those relating to exotic diseases like FMD. It should be remembered that before the first US BSE case was detected, the US had access to Australia. On average there were less than 35 tonnes exported here from the US each year in the five years before. This is also backed by recent reports US cattle herd may have shrunk to the smallest size since 1958, as mounting losses during the recession spurred beef and dairy producers to cull animals, analysts said in Bloomberg news this week. The number of young female beef cattle held back for breeding in the US may have fallen to 5.45 million animals, down 1.4 percent from 5.526 million a year earlier, according to estimates. The idea there would be a “flood” of US beef doesn’t match up to the market realities.
Concerns have also been voiced by some that making this policy change will negatively affect our reputation overseas. However, Australia’s ‘clean green’ image will be maintained, as major beef-trading countries around the world now recognise modern science relating to BSE and have adjusted their trade rules accordingly. New Zealand’s access has been unaffected by the modernisation of its policy three years ago, and two of Australia’s major beef markets - US and Japan - allow beef imports from Category 2 countries under strict guidelines. This policy adjustment will not affect Australia’s existing ‘Negligible BSE Risk’ status.
For some years, Australia has been requested by overseas countries to review this policy and industry’s position in support of this policy being reviewed against sound scientific principles has remained unchanged. In this trade area we must treat other countries with the same rules which we wish to apply to us. If we do not use a sound, risk based approach then we will face our incomes from export sales being severely threatened. An industry group cannot responsibly act in one way and expect other countries to act in another. If we do act in accordance with OIE standards for beef we can expect other countries not to do the same, which would directly limit the markets for trade and directly reduce producer incomes.
AgForce Cattle acknowledges the concerns expressed from within industry, but CCA – of which AgForce is a member – would not support any action that threatens Australia’s beef industry or damages consumer confidence in beef. A rules-based, science-based global trading system is essential to promote trade liberalism.
AgForce Cattle Directors will be available to discuss this and a number of industry policies issues at the 5 March Open Forum held in the Gayndah Hall.
To RSVP contact Aimee Le on (07) 3236 3100.
Click here to read the latest on Food Standards Australia (FSANZ) BSE policy: http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumerinformation/bovinespongiformencephalopathybse/
AgForce Cattle is backing the BSE policy of Food Standard’s Australia (FSANZ) and the Red Meat Advisory Council (RMAC) and has been disappointed with the politicisation of discussions in recent weeks.
AgForce’s cattle producing members are represented by a group of 6 producers on the national peak industry body, the Cattle Council of Australia. In turn CCA is a member of the Red Meat Advisory Council, the peak advisory body for the whole red-meat and livestock industry.
RMAC has for many years been advocating for a change to the previous standard in the Australian Food Standards Code that stated: "all beef and beef products in Australia is to be derived from cattle that are BSE free".
The policy stated that beef could not be imported or sold from countries that have detected BSE, which without further information would seem to be sensible. However an unintended consequence of this standard is that in the event of even a single case of BSE being detected in any Australian state or territory, all Australian beef would be removed from the shelves. So as an example if there was a detected case from one single animal in Tasmania, then it would be highly likely that beef sales in Queensland would be banned, removed from retail shelves and possibly subject to a product recall. This is the “beef off the shelves” issue.
For the past five years AgForce, CCA, RMAC and other industry groups including processors have focused on fixing the “beef off the shelves” issue in Australia, to alleviate the risk that a case of BSE in any part of Australia would require all beef to be removed from shelves, unnecessarily costing the economy millions of dollars.
The easy option was for the beef industry to ‘do nothing’ – but in the unlikely event even a single BSE detection occurred in Australia, all beef could be removed from all domestic shelves at enormous expense. Furthermore, any of Australia’s 105 export markets could lock us out for 10 years, crippling the industry.
We, as an export focused industry, whether it is by beef or live cattle trade cannot act in a way that threatens our market access or the progress of trade liberalisation that gives us market access. The risk to domestic market if we lost even a week of supply is huge, and would require a huge allocation of levy dollars to regain consumers’ trust, let alone the impact if Australia lost our export markets.
This policy adjustment does not allow any country that has had BSE to commence freely exporting to Australia, as robust risk assessment protocols will be maintained, with CCA and the NFF continuing their input into these assessments. To access the Australian market, applications must be made by potential foreign suppliers, which will continue to be assessed individually and on merit, taking into account all of Australia’s requirements under existing protocols.
This policy change is BSE-specific, meaning there will be no change to Australia’s other import protocols having to be met, including those relating to exotic diseases like FMD. It should be remembered that before the first US BSE case was detected, the US had access to Australia. On average there were less than 35 tonnes exported here from the US each year in the five years before. This is also backed by recent reports US cattle herd may have shrunk to the smallest size since 1958, as mounting losses during the recession spurred beef and dairy producers to cull animals, analysts said in Bloomberg news this week. The number of young female beef cattle held back for breeding in the US may have fallen to 5.45 million animals, down 1.4 percent from 5.526 million a year earlier, according to estimates. The idea there would be a “flood” of US beef doesn’t match up to the market realities.
Concerns have also been voiced by some that making this policy change will negatively affect our reputation overseas. However, Australia’s ‘clean green’ image will be maintained, as major beef-trading countries around the world now recognise modern science relating to BSE and have adjusted their trade rules accordingly. New Zealand’s access has been unaffected by the modernisation of its policy three years ago, and two of Australia’s major beef markets - US and Japan - allow beef imports from Category 2 countries under strict guidelines. This policy adjustment will not affect Australia’s existing ‘Negligible BSE Risk’ status.
For some years, Australia has been requested by overseas countries to review this policy and industry’s position in support of this policy being reviewed against sound scientific principles has remained unchanged. In this trade area we must treat other countries with the same rules which we wish to apply to us. If we do not use a sound, risk based approach then we will face our incomes from export sales being severely threatened. An industry group cannot responsibly act in one way and expect other countries to act in another. If we do act in accordance with OIE standards for beef we can expect other countries not to do the same, which would directly limit the markets for trade and directly reduce producer incomes.
AgForce Cattle acknowledges the concerns expressed from within industry, but CCA – of which AgForce is a member – would not support any action that threatens Australia’s beef industry or damages consumer confidence in beef. A rules-based, science-based global trading system is essential to promote trade liberalism.
AgForce Cattle Directors will be available to discuss this and a number of industry policies issues at the 5 March Open Forum held in the Gayndah Hall.
To RSVP contact Aimee Le on (07) 3236 3100.