Cattlemen's Capitol Concerns: Korea finally opens to U.S. beef - cattlemen anxious to see product moving

TSCRA Daily News Update, June 27, 2008

Korea finally opens to U.S. beef – cattlemen anxious to see product moving

The agreement to allow U.S. beef exports back into South Korea was finalized in the early morning of June 26 when the Korean government officially published the new beef import rules.

This was followed by a posting by USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service of the Quality System Assessment (QSA) - a transitional program that will ensure that beef products exported to Korea are only from cattle younger than 30 months of age.

The Korean market was to have opened to U.S. beef from cattle of all ages on May 15, but the opening was delayed for more than a month due to protests and political unrest in Korea.

While NCBA reminds all consumers that beef from U.S. cattle of all ages is absolutely safe for both export and domestic consumption, cattlemen are pleased that this transitional measure will get U.S. beef back on Korea's store shelves and allow the industry to begin regaining the trust and confidence of Korean consumers.

NCBA released the following statement earlier Thursday from Cottonwood, Ariz., rancher and NCBA President Andy Groseta:

"The cattle producers that make up the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) are excited to once again be providing beef to consumers in Korea. The mutual decision by Korea's importers and U.S. exporters to limit U.S. beef exports to Korea to beef from cattle under 30 months of age is somewhat disappointing to cattlemen, because all U.S. beef is safe from BSE.

"This well-established and long-standing safety record is due to interlocking safeguards that protect the health of the U.S. cattle herd, and the safety of the food supply. But we believe this arrangement will help regain the confidence Korean consumers have in the quality and safety of U.S. beef, which is the very same beef we feed to our own families.

"NCBA is proud of the measures the United States has taken toward control and eradication of BSE, which are the foundation for this nation's "controlled risk" designation for BSE by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Our members look forward to the day when all trading partners recognize and accept OIE trading guidelines for beef exported by the United States - which include beef from cattle of any age, provided that appropriate specific risk materials are removed.

"However, the vast majority of U.S. beef enjoyed by Korean consumers has historically been from cattle under 30 months of age. So this age restriction should not significantly reduce the volume of safe and great-tasting U.S. beef available to Korean consumers, and we look forward to regaining their trust and confidence by providing them with a product of the highest quality."