According to a notice posted by the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on April 22, trade officials in Colombia have banned the import of U.S. beef and beef products from states reporting positive cases of HPAI as of April 15, 2024.
The ineligible products for export to Colombia include fresh and frozen beef and beef products derived from cattle transported from or slaughtered within the following states:
The State of Colorado shipped on or after April 25, 2024
The State of Idaho shipped on or after April 16, 2024
The State of Kansas shipped on or after April 16, 2024
The State of Michigan shipped on or after April 16, 2024
The State of New Mexico shipped on or after April 16, 2024
The State of North Carolina shipped on or after April 16, 2024
The State of Ohio shipped on or after April 16, 2024
The State of South Dakota shipped on or after April 16, 2024
The State of Texas shipped on or after April 16, 2024 The FSIS said shipments of beef may still be held at the port even if exporters have a valid import permit.
“The restrictions Colombia has imposed on US beef as a result of the recent highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) findings in lactating dairy cows have no scientific basis,” said the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) in a statement. “Colombia is the only country that has officially restricted imports of US beef. USMEF is encouraged that the vast majority of our trading partners are following the science on this matter.”
According to USMEF, the United States is Colombia’s biggest supplier of imported beef, adding that suspending imports from certain states is “unworkable and misguided.”
“It has created uncertainty for Colombian importers and their customers as well as their suppliers and will greatly disrupt trade. USMEF appreciates the efforts of the US government to address Colombian officials’ concerns and we are hopeful that this matter can be resolved as soon as possible,” the trade association said.
According to the statement by the USMEF, shipments of US beef to Colombia in 2023 were valued at $40 million, a relatively small percentage of total exports, which were $10 billion for the year.
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