Source:  Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 11/5/09

USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Thursday it will not certify U.S. beef for shipment to Taiwan until that country clarifies what products it will accept under a new protocol that took effect Nov. 2.

In an update to its export requirements, FSIS said it would certify boneless beef derived from cattle slaughtered on or before Nov. 1; under the old protocol, Taiwan accepted only boneless beef from cattle younger than 30 months of age. However, FSIS said it will not certify the same product from cattle slaughtered on or after Nov. 2.

"More information about the eligibility of beef will be provided as it becomes available," the FSIS notice said. USDA and U.S. Trade Representive officials could not be reached for comment.

The new protocol both sides agreed to late last month provided an initial, 180-day transitional phase in which Taiwan would accept, in addition to boneless beef, bone-in and beef variety meats from cattle younger than 30 months of age. Then, the countries were to discuss the possibility of full market access in Taiwan.

Confusion

But in officially implementing the new protocol, Taiwan issued import regulations that caused some confusion as to what types of U.S. beef products it would actually accept.

"It's a situation where we want some questions answered before [FSIS certifies] any product and then have exporters taking a chance on whether product gains entry into Taiwan or not," U.S. Meat Export Federation spokesman Joe Schuele told Meatingplace. "We're working on the situation. I just can't say with any certainty when it will be resolved."

Schuele said USMEF has heard of no cases in which a U.S. beef exporter had sent product other than boneless beef to Taiwan.

"Product that's in the pipeline, as long as it was slaughtered prior to Nov. 2, qualifies under the old protocol and should not run into any problems," he said.