Nine administrative directives related to allowing US imports of pork containing ractopamine residue were submitted to a joint session composed of five committees at the Legislative Yuan for review amid a cross-party consensus yesterday.
The administrative directives were introduced after President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Aug. 28 announced that the government would lift bans on US pork containing ractopamine residue and US beef from cattle more than 30 months old. The policy is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1 next year.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government has planned to allow the import of US pork through an administrative order that, according to the Administrative Procedure Act (行政程序法), requires a 60-day period for public comment before it can go into effect.
Photo courtesy of the Council of Agriculture
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has said that the issue must undergo a further, substantial review by the relevant legislative committees.
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday said that he is not opposed to the proposed policy being put to review at legislative committees.
As the DPP caucus yesterday did not object, cross-caucus consensus was reached to put the issue to review at the legislative Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee, the Economics Committee, the Foreign and National Defense Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Education and Culture Committee.
Photo courtesy of the Council of Agriculture
The administrative directives include regulations on levels of ractopamine residues in pork products; the labeling of the origin of pork products to be sold to consumers and food suppliers; quarantine and examination procedures for imported beef; and rules for imports of US and Canadian beef.
Meanwhile, the Council of Agriculture is looking for the best logo for Taiwanese pork products, with winning logos from the preliminary round now in an online vote.
The vote would run until 6pm on Monday next week, the council said.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Additional reporting by Chien Hui-ju and CNA
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