Brazil Suspends Processed Beef Exports To U.S.

Brazil has voluntarily suspended exports of processed beef to the United States due to inadequacies in Brazil’s inspection system.

Laura Reiser, a spokeswoman for USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, told Meatingplace.com the move followed FSIS’s annual audit of Brazil’s inspection system.

“The FSIS auditors identified issues with record keeping in establishments, oversight of laboratories and previous corrective actions seemed to be de-emphasized,” she said.

FSIS continues to analyze the audit information. Meantime, Brazil must conduct its own assessments and corrective actions.

“FSIS will review the information Brazil provides, conduct follow-up audits then determine whether these exports can resume,” Reiser said.

As a safeguard to diseases such as foot-and-mouth, the United States limits imports of Brazilian beef to processed product.