Means, Sherron, and Welch voice support for South Korean beef trade

TSCRA Daily News Update, June 26, 2008

Means, Sherron and Welch voice support for
South Korean beef trade

With the final opening of the South Korean border to U.S. beef Thursday, industry leaders are cautiously optimistic this will once again establish a flow of American beef to the South Korean market and open new avenues of export.

South Korea closed trade to all American beef in 2003 after the discovery of a Canadian-born cow in Washington state that was infected with BSE, or mad cow disease. An agreement was reached last week to do away with the ban, and guidelines were set for South Korea to accept products from cattle only younger than 30 months of age.

A previous agreement made in April allowed the importation of cattle older than 30 months, which prompted protests and outrage from the citizens of South Korea. Officials were forced to renegotiate the deal to abate fears of contracting BSE from cattle older than 30 months, which are considered more at risk of infection.

The ban was officially lifted on Thursday, allowing for the inspection of beef products headed for South Korea to begin immediately. Officials hope the results of the newly negotiated regulations of import will alleviate the South Korean's fears and emphasize the safety of U.S. beef.

Three TSCRA leaders have voiced their support for the opening of South Korean beef trade and the opportunities this could provide for producers: Jon Means, TSCRA President; Dick Sherron, TSCRA past-president, and John Welch, TSCRA marketing committee chairman, were quoted in a recent Associated Press article praising the opening of the South Korean market, and the new opportunities gained with re-establishing trade with a country that was once the third largest importer of U.S. beef.

To read that article, including the quotes by Means, Sherron, and Welch in entirety, click on the following link: go.