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COA concerned about US beef quality

Even though the nation's health authority is poised to allow the resumption of US beef imports, there is discord among government agencies over the issue.

The Council of Agriculture (COA) voiced its concerns yesterday about US cattle management methods.

The council is doubtful about the completeness of US cattle registration management, noting that it would be difficult to trace the origin of diseased cows if such registration is not rigorously implemented and monitored, said Yeh Ying (葉瑩), deputy director-general of the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine.

The US only conducted random tests on some 170,000 cows last year, a far cry from its goal of testing as many as 268,000 head, Yeh said.

On Tuesday, the Department of Health said it was considering lifting the ban on the US beef on four conditions: that the beef come from cows aged under 30 months and must not include bones, offal or nerves which are likely to contain diseased cells. The department will submit its conclusion to the Cabinet next week.

Yeh said it is hard to accurately determine the age of cattle at most risk for the disease, citing cases where the disease had been found in 21-month-old cows. Taiwan should be more cautious about reopening its market to imports from affected areas such as the US, he said.
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