Source: Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE, 9/26/11

The U.S. beef- and pork-export industries would lose hundreds of millions of dollars if the United States doesn’t implement an animal identification system that stands up to increasingly robust counterparts in international markets, according to a study released today by the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

Conducted by researchers at Kansas State University, Colorado State University and Montana State University, the study assesses the potential economic impact on U.S. producers and processors of evolving thinking about animal ID and traceability in leading export markets and traceability systems that have already been put in place by other major beef and pork exporting countries.

The United States and India are the only two major beef exporters that do not already have mandatory traceability systems. Argentina, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Uruguay already do.
Funded by USDA’s Market Access Program, the study found, for example, that the beef and pork industries would lose $1.8 billion and $518 million, respectively, over a 10-year period if the United States does not expand domestic traceability.

To view the entire study, click here. 

For more stories, go to www.meatingplace.com.