US Market Access for Ireland Extended to Include Grinding Beef
IRELAND - Access for Irish beef to the US market has been improved following the decision of authorities there to recognise Ireland’s raw meat control system as equivalent to that of the US.
11 July 2016
1 minute read
In principle this extends access to include manufacturing beef intended for grinding which is typically used in burgers and similar processed products. Ireland is the first EU Member State to achieve this status.
Commenting on the news, Ireland's Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed said: “I am delighted with this confirmation that the US authorities have recognised the equivalent standards overseen by my Dept, and granted access to Irish manufacturing beef, building on our existing access from last year.
"This is the culmination of over a year of intensive work between my Department and its US counterparts.”
The decision follows a January 2015 decision to permit access for raw intact beef from Ireland to the US.
Beef from the EU was banned from the US since it imposed its ban for BSE reasons over fifteen years ago. This ban was only formally lifted in March 2014.
Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) President Joe Healy welcomed the announcement.
He said: “It is very important that real delivery is made on accessing new markets for Irish beef, particularly in light of the recent Brexit outcome. A lot more work needs to be done in getting more beef plants approved for export to the US.”
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