What are some major highlights of the international beef trade regulation between major exporting/producing countries?
The Phase One economic and trade agreement signed by the United States and China on January 15, 2020, provides U.S. exporters of beef and other meat, as well as live breeding cattle with expanded access to China's market. When China partially reopened its market to U.S. beef and beef products in 2017, following a 13-year ban, many unscientific restrictions remained, including age, product scope, use of veterinary drugs, and traceability. Also, it was difficult to register new facilities with Chinese authorities to export. The Phase One agreement addresses these issues and should give U.S. companies streamlined access to China's market while providing Chinese consumers with a wider variety of American beef to choose from. China has agreed to implement the following actions for beef:
- Remove age restrictions for U.S. beef and beef products from completing a risk assessment;
- Expand the allowable product scope for U.S. beef and processed beef products;
- Recognize the U.S. beef and beef products' traceability system that the United States already has in place; and
- Adopt internationally accepted maximum residue levels for three widely-used veterinary drugs (zeranol, trenbolone acetate, and melengestrol acetate).
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