Report No.230606
Vol.23 No.6 February 2006

NEWS

- International -

U.S. Beef Import Halted As a Special Risk Part Was Found Commingled

The government, on January 20, 2006, decided to put a total halt to importation of American beef. Import had been resumed only in December last year. That is because a spinal column, designated as a special risk material, was discovered in a shipment on which a pathogen of BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) tends to accumulate. 

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), the source of import is a meat business in New York State. From among the shipments of 41 boxes (weighing 390 kilograms) that arrived at Japan, beef in 3 boxes have been found to be bone-in beef, while the parcels carried certificates indicating compliance with the Beef Export Verification (BEV) Program of the U.S. government.

The BEV Program mandates removal of special risk materials from shipments to Japan as a condition for allowing importation from the Unites States. The Food Safety Commission in its report to MAFF and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare on December 8, 2005 took extra precaution of saying that "it is necessary to halt importation (after resumption of import)," should the conditions for the lifting of import ban fail to be met.

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shoichi Nakagawa announced the discovery of U.S. beef with spinal column during his press meeting in late afternoon on January 20 and said "this constitute a serious violation of the agreed process of import and as such is extremely regrettable. I will have the matter fully investigated and make a severe representation to the U.S. government."

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