Source:  Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 11/9/09

With the most recent revision to USDA's export requirements for Taiwan, the agency's Food Safety and Inspection Service said late Friday it will certify some beef products slaughtered on or after Nov. 2 for export to Taiwan.

Earlier last week FSIS put a hold on certifying all U.S. beef shipments slaughtered on or after Nov. 2, the official start date for a new beef trade protocol with Taiwan, until receiving clarifications about what U.S. beef products Taiwan would actually import.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation, meanwhile, is urging its constituents to practice caution under the new program.

"[The] Taiwan government has stressed that the old EV (export verification) program for Taiwan is no longer valid for cattle slaughtered on or after Nov. 2, [therefore] export of any products from cattle slaughtered on or around this date must be very carefully managed," USMEF said in a notice to its members.

USMEF said packers should pay particular attention to segregating product associated with the old EV program and product associated with the new Taiwan EV and QSA (quality system assessment) programs. On or after Nov. 2, product will not be eligible for export unless it complies with the new EV and QSA.

However, Nov. 2 is not necessarily the effective date for individual plants. The effective date for individual plants is when the Agricultural Marketing Service approves a facility for the new EV program and QSA.

USMEF also urged exporters to mind slaughter date range. Taiwan likely will reject or detain product whose certificate indicates a slaughter date range that overlaps Nov. 2, 2009.

The new program currently only applies to boneless beef from cattle younger than 30 months of age, although the protocol agreed to late last month ostensibly will allow the full range of U.S. beef products.