Backflip over mad cow beef ban

The Australian ^ | March 9, 2010 | Nicola Berkovic

[myknowledge]

THE importation of beef from countries that have had outbreaks of mad cow disease will be delayed by at least two years following a backdown by the Rudd government.

Agriculture Minister Tony Burke yesterday bowed to community pressure and ordered a full risk analysis of beef imports from countries where bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, had been reported.

The review comes eight days after the lifting of a ban on beef imports from countries that have had the disease.

That decision followed a threat by meat exporters, including Canada, to go to the World Trade Organisation over unfair trade barriers.

A spokeswoman for Mr Burke said the review would cover fresh or frozen beef, but not processed or cooked beef products, such as oxtail soup, and drinks such as the beef tea product Bovril.

[myknowledge]

Australian beef is of superior quality than imported beef,don't you think?

What the highly efficient Australian customs department could not keep out, the government could bring in: MAD COW DISEASE!!!

It's total madness! I don't wanna eat mad cow disease laced beef! No way!

[James C. Bennett]

I agree completely. Sadly for America, it will mean a ban on US beef into Australia.

I hope this is not played out like the games that the Japanese, Europeans and Koreans used to, completely banning US beef to help local producers under the pretext of tainted US meat. Last thing we both need, is a trade war between us both.

[Aussiebabe]

Actually, we do produce high quality beef, but it almost all exported to countries like Japan —we get what is left. Aussies have been trained to eat inferior beef for decades. While our lamb and pork is fantastic, I am afraid that the average beef sold in the supermarkets and butchers, is just that....average.