US Eases Up on Canadian Meat
WASHINGTON - The US Department of Agriculture is relaxing its demands on Canadian meat and poultry exports following problems at a now bankrupt Alberta meat-packing plant.
29 November 2007
3 minute read
USDA imposed tighter exams and testing of the Canadian products earlier this month after the packing plant Rancher's Beef Ltd. was linked to the outbreak of E. coli. The outbreak led to the second largest beef recall in US history.
Subsequent audits conducted by USDA of Canadian meat plants this month have concluded operations in other plants are safe and that the problems were limited to the Rancher's Beef Ltd, in Alberta.
"The increased testing has not revealed any problems with Canadian products exported to the United States," said USDA official William James.
The information gleaned from the audits and the increased level of testing undertaken by USDA have been encouraging and product examinations have now returned to normal. Tests continue to focus on the detection of pathogens, such as listeria monocytogenes and salmonella. Test levels for
USDA imposed tighter exams and testing of the Canadian products earlier this month after the packing plant Rancher's Beef Ltd. was linked to the outbreak of E. coli. The outbreak led to the second largest beef recall in U.S. history.
Subsequent audits conducted by USDA of Canadian meat plants this month have concluded operations in other plants are safe and that the problems were limited to the Rancher's Beef Ltd, in Alberta.
"The increased testing has not revealed any problems with Canadian products exported to the United States," said USDA official William James.
The information gleaned from the audits and the increased level of testing undertaken by USDA have been encouraging and product examinations have now retirend to normal. Tests continue to focus on the detection of pathogens, such as listeria monocytogenes and salmonella. Test levels for E. coli would be at the same level as other countries.
