APHIS Proposes Rule to Allow Imports of Swine, Pork Meat, Etc. from Santa Catarina
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a proposed rule that would change the disease status of the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina to allow importation into the U.S. of certain animals and animal products by adding Santa Catarina to the list of regions recognized by USDA as being free of various animal diseases. Because Santa Catarina borders a region where animal diseases exist, however, APHIS is proposing that imports of meat and other animal products from Santa Catarina be subject to certain restrictions.
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Proposed Rule a Prerequisite to Continued Talks in U.S.-Brazil Cotton Dispute
Reclassification of Santa Catarina’s disease status is one of the steps in the “path forward” recently agreed to by the U.S. and Brazil in order to resolve the upland cotton dispute1 between the U.S. and Brazil. These steps were agreed to during talks between the U.S. and Brazil.
On April 7, 2010, Brazil agreed not to impose any countermeasures on U.S. trade. In exchange, and as a prerequisite to continuing negotiations, the U.S. agreed to (1) fund Brazilian cotton programs; (2) modify the operation of the GSM-102 Export Credit Guarantee Program; and (3) issue a proposed rule on the disease status of Santa Catarina.
APHIS Found Santa Catarina Disease-Free
Prior to proposing this rule, APHIS conducted a risk evaluation to determine whether foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, classical swine fever, African swine fever, and swine vesicular disease were present in Santa Catarina, and to identify appropriate risk mitigation measures that would permit imports of live swine and ruminant animals2, fresh pork and ruminant animal meat, etc. while preventing the introduction of animal disease in the U.S.
In its risk evaluation, APHIS concluded that Santa Catarina is free of the investigated diseases and has adequate veterinary structures in place to prevent, control, and manage outbreaks of these diseases if they were to occur. APHIS is therefore proposing to add Santa Catarina to the list of regions from which swine and ruminant animals and animal products may be imported into the U.S.
Some Proposed Restrictions on Imports Due to Shared Border
Because Santa Catarina has a common land border with Argentina, a region where foot-and-mouth disease exists, however, APHIS is proposing that the importation of meat and other products from swine or ruminant animals into the U.S. from Santa Catarina be subject to the following restrictions:
- They would have to be prepared in an inspected establishment that is eligible to have its products imported into the U.S. under the Federal Meat Inspection Act; and
- They would have to be accompanied by an additional certificate issued by a full-time salaried veterinary official of the Brazilian government assuring that the meat or other animal products have not been commingled with or exposed to meat or other animal products originating in, imported from, transported through, or that have otherwise been in a region where foot-and-mouth disease exists.
1In August 2009, the World Trade Organization authorized Brazil to impose millions of dollars in countermeasures against the U.S. due to its failure to comply in the U.S.-Brazil cotton dispute. (See ITT’s Online Archives or 09/01/09 news, (Ref: 09090110), for BP summary.)
2Ruminant animals include cattle, sheep, buffalo, and goats that have digestive systems that allows them to convert otherwise unusable plant materials into nutritious food and fiber.
(See ITT Online Archives or 04/07/10 daily news, (Ref: 10040705), for BP summary of U.S.-Brazil “path forward” to resolve cotton dispute.
See ITT Online Archives or 04/06/10 daily news, (Ref: 10040605), for BP summary of delay of Brazilian cotton dispute duty to April 22, 2010.
See ITT Online Archives or 03/09/10 daily news, (Ref: 10030910), for BP summary of list of U.S. products subject to Brazilian retaliatory tariffs.)
APHIS contact -- Silvia Kreindel (301) 734-4356
APHIS proposed rule (FR Pub 04/16/10) available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-8765.pdf