AVN Monitoring Desk
In a recent development, meat processor JBS has announced that Beijing has halted shipments of US beef from the company’s Greeley plant in Colorado citing the detection of traces of the feed additive ractopamine in beef intended for the Chinese market, as reported by Reuters.
JBS, headquartered in Brazil and renowned as the world’s largest beef producer, stated that it is collaborating with both US and Chinese authorities to address the issue. It assured that no other JBS beef facilities in the US have been affected by this suspension.
The suspension was officially communicated via a notice posted on the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service website.
Ractopamine, used as a feed additive to enhance animal weights, faces bans or restrictions in over 160 countries, including the European Union, Russia, and China.
This development follows a lawsuit earlier this year filed by prominent food safety, environmental, and animal rights groups against the US Food and Drug Administration, urging a reconsideration of ractopamine approvals. They say that ractopamine poses risks to human health and induces stress in farm animals before slaughter.
In addition to the beef suspension, China has also blocked meat and poultry products of Cool Port Oakland in California. This restriction was noted on the USDA website. Cool Port Oakland is a cold storage facility for perishable and sensitive goods like food and medicine.
The repercussions of these restrictions reverberated through the market, with Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures witnessing a decline, analysts say. The August live cattle contract experienced its most significant percentage drop since May 1.
Efforts to reach officials from Cool Port Oakland for comments were unsuccessful. Similarly, USDA officials refrained from immediate comment.
