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The
bill by Tester, a Montana Democrat, follows political pressure
from U.S. cattle producers who have been calling for a halt to
imports of Brazilian fresh beef due to questions about what
processes Brazil uses to detect animal disease and other
potential foodborne threats to consumers.
Brazil, the world's largest beef exporter, suspended beef
exports to top customer China after the South American country
in early September confirmed two cases of "atypical" mad cow
disease - or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) - in two
separate domestic meat plants.
But the cases were originally detected in June, well before they
were reported to trade partners and the World Organization for
Animal Health (OIE), according to a Nov. 12 letter sent by the
National Cattlemen's Beef Association to the U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
USDA, which regulates beef imports into the United States, did
not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.
The United States imported $62.3 million of beef and beef
products from Brazil in the first nine months of this year, a
36% increase over the same period a year earlier, according to
U.S. Census Bureau trade data. In total volume, Brazil was the
second-largest U.S. supplier of beef and beef product imports
during that period, behind Mexico.
Political pressure on USDA has mounted in recent days, after two
cases of a neurodegenerative disorder in patients in Rio de
Janeiro state were reported earlier this month.
Officials with Brazil's Agriculture Ministry said the cases were
not related to beef consumption, tamping down fears of possible
bovine spongiform encephalopathy causing human illness.
(Reporting by P.J. Huffstutter in Chicago Additional reporting
by Leah Douglas in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
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