Namibia’s Newest Beef Customer May Ban Their Imports

WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA – Namibia became the first African country to export red meat to the United States just a few months ago. After two decades of haggling, the country in Southwest Africa shipped 25 tons of beef to Philadelphia after successfully overcoming U.S. safety regulations and logistics. That victory appears to be short-lived, as the movement of all cloven-hoofed animals and their products has been banned after an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). The outbreak of the extremely contagious disease was confirmed in the Kavango East region according to a Namibian official on Wednesday. Ethan Lane is Vice President of Government Affairs with the National Cattleman’s Beef Association (NCBA) and says USDA should “…investigate and reaffirm the efficacy of Namibia’s cordon fence, the security of Namibia’s buffer zone and surrounding FMD protocols, and if found deficient, USDA must take immediate action to suspend imports from Namibia in order to ensure the continued safety of U.S. cattle and beef.”
(SOURCE: All Ag News)