After six years Taiwan is going to drop their ban on imports of US beef. The original ban was adopted by Taiwan and many of the US’s trading partners following the discovery of Mad Cow disease in a downer cow in the western part of the US several years ago.According to Thibault Worth’s story for Voice of America online, “[i]mports of US beef with bone will likely resume sometime in November.” Worth reports that the agreement was part of other measures intended to open access to markets. US exporters will still follow U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) tests to ensure the beef entering Taiwan is less than 30 months old, as well as other requirements. Cattle under 30 months of age cannot acquire Mad Cow disease, a disease that causes the brain to waste away.
Several of the countries that banned the importation of US beef following the discovery of Mad Cow in the US have lifted their bans in some capacity following a declaration in 2007 of the World Organization for Animal Health that “declared the risk from mad cow disease from US beef to be under control.”
Taiwan has been key to focus on public reaction, and the country will not have a standard lower than South Korea. When South Korea lifted its ban in 2008 the government was confronted with some of the largest protests in the nation’s history. Still, science won out over hysteria.
Currently US beef imports have a $136 million value.
To read Worth’s story click here.
Posted: 10/23/09
