Controversy ensues after Taiwan expands access for U.S. red meat

On Jan. 1, Taiwan implemented market access changes for imports of U.S. beef and pork. For U.S. beef, the 30-month cattle age limit was eliminated, so Taiwan now accepts beef from U.S. cattle of all ages. For U.S. pork, Taiwan established maximum residue limits (MRLs) for ractopamine residues, easing the zero-tolerance policy previously in place. Joel Haggard, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) senior vice president for the Asia Pacific, pointed out that Taiwan is already a major destination for U.S. beef, with annual exports exceeding $500 million. It is currently the sixth largest market for U.S. beef, Haggard added. When December data is available, USMEF said that U.S. beef exports to Taiwan could set another new record in 2020. Exports through November were 3% ahead of 2019's record pace in volume (59,404 metric tons) and down just 1% in value ($509.1 million). Haggard noted that Taiwan's beef demand has held up well through the COVID-19 pandemic, as the island nation has ...