Meat exporters desperate to keep banned chemicals away from Australia

Meat exporters are alarmed by moves to allow a controversial chemical to be used in Australia. They have successfully campaigned to delay the national food standards agency allowing ractopamine to be used. Ractopamine is an animal feed additive popularly used in the US but is banned by 160 other countries. Many of Australia's major meat buyers, including China and the European Union, ban imports containing traces of the chemical. China has already weighed into the debate, saying Australia needs to better consider scientific advice and overseas standards before changing its food laws. While not directly discussing ractopamine, China banned all meat imports from Canada in 2019 over allegations of forged export certificates on pork shipments and the detection of ractopamine. Food Standards Australia New Zealand, the nation's food law-makers, want to adopt new maximum residue limits for certain agricultural and veterinary chemicals which may occur in foods. FSANZ has already drafted ...