Source:  Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 4/12/11

U.S. Sens. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said Monday they sent a bipartisan letter to Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou urging Taiwan to ease restrictions on U.S. beef exports.
In the letter, the senators call into question Taiwan’s recent rejection of shipments of U.S. beef based on findings of trace amounts of the feed additive ractopamine.

The lawmakers noted that ractopamine is recognized as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and that the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JEFCA) has recommended the adoption of maximum residue levels (MRL) in beef and pork, and Taiwan’s own risk assessment in 2007 found that ractopamine was safe for use.

“Taiwan’s current zero-tolerance policy lacks scientific standing,” the senators wrote in the letter, urging Taiwan to implement an MRL immediately and establish uniform inspection procedures.
“It is our hope that these continued misinterpretations concerning the safety of U.S. beef can be resolved quickly in order to resume a stable and predictable trading environment for our U.S. beef industry and dependable supply for Taiwanese consumers,” the wrote.

The letter was also signed by 18 other senators from both sides of the political aisle.  

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