In a significant move, more than twenty members of the U.S. House of Representatives, spearheaded by U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann (D-Kan.) and Jim Costa (D-Calif.), have raised objections to a newly established rule that would enable the import of Paraguayan beef into the United States.
This development has sparked a debate, primarily due to the ongoing issue of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Paraguay, affecting cattle, pigs, and other cloven-hoofed animals.
The apprehension among these federal lawmakers is rooted in the potential risk of introducing FMD into the U.S. livestock population. The United States has been free from FMD since 1929, a status confirmed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), which is also advocating against this new import rule.
Ethan Lane, NCBA’s Vice President of Government Affairs, has voiced concerns over the safety of importing beef from Paraguay.
He points to Paraguay’s recurrent FMD outbreaks and the lack of recent, thorough inspections as significant risk factors. According to Lane, the decision to import under these conditions could pose a substantial threat to U.S. livestock health.
In their communication to Tom Vilsack, the head of the USDA, the group of representatives criticised the department’s reliance on inspections conducted in 2008 and 2014, arguing that these assessments are now outdated.
They emphasise that the rule amendment, which allows for the importation of beef under “certain conditions,” may not adequately safeguard against FMD risks. Despite these concerns, the USDA has affirmed its commitment to preventing the introduction of FMD into the United States, as outlined in the final rule on Paraguayan beef importation, now published in the Federal Register.
