ID :
28484
Tue, 11/04/2008 - 22:19
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/28484
The shortlink copeid
S. Korea calls for age limit on Canadian beef imports By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, Nov. 4 (Yonhap) -- Seoul has called for an age limit on cattle that can be slaughtered for South Korean consumption at negotiations aimed at reopening the local beef market to Canadian beef, the government said Tuesday.
In the two-day-long bilateral technical talks held at the National Veterinary
Research and Quarantine Service, Seoul said that under the newly revised law, the
country cannot import beef from animals over 30 months old.
The 30-month limit is important because most cattle that have contracted bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly called mad cow disease, were older
animals.
The law passed by South Korean lawmakers earlier in the year sets an age limit if
the exporting country has reported a mad cow case within the past 5 years. Canada
confirmed 14 cases of the disease from May 2003.
"We outlined our stance on this issue to the Canadian representatives, who took
note of our position," a government official said, hinting that there were no
official objections.
He then said that the Canadians expressed a wish to receive the same level of
market access that South Korea offers U.S. beef, and emphasized that enforced
feed control systems introduced in July 2007 would greatly reduce the number of
animals that contract the deadly disease that can cause the brain-wasting variant
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.
"Canadian negotiators pointed out that Canada received the same 'controlled risk'
classification as the United States from the Paris-based World Organization for
Animal Health," the expert said. A controlled risk classification technically
allows the country to export meat with almost no restrictions.
After banning U.S. beef in December 2003, South Korea lifted all import
restrictions in late June, but did not allow meat from animals over 30 months
old.
In addition to outlining its position on the beef trade, South Korea said that it
wants to send a fact-finding mission to Canada within the month to see how the
improved feed systems are administered.
The use of meat-and-bone meal has been cited as the main cause of mad cow disease.
The ministry then said that the two sides agreed to hold additional talks to
exchange views on the classification of specified risk materials (SRM), how to
issue export permits to Canadian meat processing facilities and what measures
will be taken if there is another BSE outbreak.
Before imports were banned in May 2003, Canada was the fourth-biggest exporter
of beef to South Korea after the U.S., Australia and New Zealand.
Authorities, meanwhile, said that both sides agreed to move forward the talks
that would permit South Korean canned chicken stew to be exported to Canada.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
In the two-day-long bilateral technical talks held at the National Veterinary
Research and Quarantine Service, Seoul said that under the newly revised law, the
country cannot import beef from animals over 30 months old.
The 30-month limit is important because most cattle that have contracted bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly called mad cow disease, were older
animals.
The law passed by South Korean lawmakers earlier in the year sets an age limit if
the exporting country has reported a mad cow case within the past 5 years. Canada
confirmed 14 cases of the disease from May 2003.
"We outlined our stance on this issue to the Canadian representatives, who took
note of our position," a government official said, hinting that there were no
official objections.
He then said that the Canadians expressed a wish to receive the same level of
market access that South Korea offers U.S. beef, and emphasized that enforced
feed control systems introduced in July 2007 would greatly reduce the number of
animals that contract the deadly disease that can cause the brain-wasting variant
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.
"Canadian negotiators pointed out that Canada received the same 'controlled risk'
classification as the United States from the Paris-based World Organization for
Animal Health," the expert said. A controlled risk classification technically
allows the country to export meat with almost no restrictions.
After banning U.S. beef in December 2003, South Korea lifted all import
restrictions in late June, but did not allow meat from animals over 30 months
old.
In addition to outlining its position on the beef trade, South Korea said that it
wants to send a fact-finding mission to Canada within the month to see how the
improved feed systems are administered.
The use of meat-and-bone meal has been cited as the main cause of mad cow disease.
The ministry then said that the two sides agreed to hold additional talks to
exchange views on the classification of specified risk materials (SRM), how to
issue export permits to Canadian meat processing facilities and what measures
will be taken if there is another BSE outbreak.
Before imports were banned in May 2003, Canada was the fourth-biggest exporter
of beef to South Korea after the U.S., Australia and New Zealand.
Authorities, meanwhile, said that both sides agreed to move forward the talks
that would permit South Korean canned chicken stew to be exported to Canada.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
