House committee votes to stop beef imports from Brazil, Argentina

The U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee approved an amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations bill that would ban the importation of Brazilian and Argentine beef until USDA evaluates the potential risk of foot and mouth disease to the U.S. cattle industry.

This amendment was adopted just one week after USDA announced it was allowing the importation of beef from the Brazilian states of Bahia, Brasilia, Espirito Santo, Goias, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Parana, Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, Rondonia, Sao Paulo, Sergipe and Tocantins.

In Argentina, beef will be imported from the Patagonia region of the country.

The USDA decision was made despite concerns over potential threats of FMD to U.S. cattle.

–American Sheep Industry