The lifting of the 15-year export ban on British beef to the United States and the aligning of US import rules on BSE with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has been hailed a major success by the Farmers’ Union of Wales.
The US market, which has been closed to any EU beef since the BSE crisis of the 1990s, is now open after the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it is bringing the US legislation in line with the international science on BSE risk.
FUW livestock, wool and marts committee chairman Dafydd Roberts welcomed the lifting of the ban. He said: “This is fantastic news, not just for the British beef industry but also for us Welsh farmers.
“Beef and lamb exports to the US could be worth more than £60m a year but it is of course going to take some time to show the US what fantastic quality beef we produce in this country.
“For many years the US import ban has been at the top of the agenda during our annual meetings with the US Department of Agriculture, and we are looking forward to exploring the new market and building a strong relationship with consumers in the US.
“We still need to have our meat inspection systems recognised as equivalent to those in the US, but once this has been overcome I hope that American consumers will be enjoying quality Welsh beef ,” added Mr Roberts.