Cattle Australia has called for an independent scientific panel to review the Federal Government’s decision to lift biosecurity restrictions on beef imported from the United States.
CA Chief Executive Officer, Will Evans, said while the Minister and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry have provided assurance that cattle born and raised in either Mexico and Canada before slaughter in the US will comply with Australia’s standards for biosecurity and food safety, the highest level of caution must be exercised to protect Australia’s beef industry.
“Cattle Australia has consistently said biosecurity assessments must be based on the best available scientific evidence and must be equivalent,” Mr Evans said.
“While we have been given assurances, and the Minister for Agriculture Julie Collins earlier today said she has full faith in the robustness of her department’s biosecurity assessment and the ability of her officials to have undertaken this assessment appropriately, we believe an independent scientific assessment is a sensible and prudent way forward. This must occur before imports commence.
“There is simply too much at stake when it comes to Australia’s world-leading biosecurity status not to get a second opinion. Given the Minister’s confidence she should have no issue appointing an independent panel to take the highest level of precaution in protecting the Australian beef industry.”
Professor Sergio ‘Yani’ Garcia at the University of Sydney Institute of Agriculture and School of Life and Environmental Sciences is an internationally recognised leader in dairy production systems.
“It might be yet too early to make definitive comment on this decision, until further details on the review of biosecurity protocols are released,” Professor Garcia said.
“For instance, it isn’t yet known widely in the agricultural science community if the increase in tracing will be used as a control tool for the origin of the meat, or whether this tracing will only be in place to track down a source should a disease outbreak occur.”