Animal biosecurity risks of fresh beef and beef products derived from bovines born and raised in Canada or Mexico and legally imported and slaughtered in the United States – Draft report

The Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department) has released the draft review for the Animal biosecurity risks of fresh beef and beef products derived from bovines born and raised in Canada or Mexico and legally imported and slaughtered in the United States for comment.The draft review focusses on whether the biosecurity risk of fresh (chilled and frozen) beef and beef products derived from bovines born and raised in Canada or Mexico and legally imported and slaughtered in the United States is different to product derived from bovines born, raised and slaughtered in the United States.The findings of the draft review support that the current United States Department of Agriculture protocols for the import of bovines from Canada and Mexico apply control measures which can address Australia’s biosecurity concerns for beef sourced from immediate slaughter and other-than-immediate slaughter bovines legally imported from Canada and immediate slaughter, feeder and breeder bovines legally imported from Mexico. The draft review can be accessed at https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/policy/risk-analysis/animal/fresh-chilled-frozen-beefTrading partners are invited to provide comments on the draft review until 11:59 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) 20 May 2024.Comments may also be submitted through this website: https://app.converlens.com/agriculture-au/us-beef-sourced-from-canadian-or-mexican-cattleThe department will carefully consider all comments while preparing the final review.