Minister for Agriculture Tony Burke has bowed to public pressure and put international beef imports on hold for two years to allow more time for risk analysis, after planning to lift a nine-year ban of importing from countries that had reported cases of BSE, or mad cow disease.

The move is a victory for common sense and Central Western cattle farmers, according to Federal Member for Calare and opposition spokesperson for agriculture, food security, fisheries and forestry John Cobb.

“This is a step in the right direction for farmers in the Central West,” he said.

“This is one of our most important industries, it’s responsible for jobs, for communities and for our food security.”

“It is vital that the Central West has a seat at the table during any debate on this issue.”

Many cattle farmers are now pushing for international exporters to follow the same protocol as Australian farmers and be able to provide traceability throughout individual animals’ lives within 24 hours, undergo random residue testing to assess chemicals in their system and have in-country inspections similar to way the EU and Japan inspect Australia’s system.

Mr Cobb’s private members bill outlines these points, as well as highlighting the need to label beef’s country of origin to give consumers a choice.

While the proposal to import beef from previously BSE infected countries has caused major debate across Australia, the risk of it contaminating Australia’s clean beef record is not concerning NSW Farmers’ Association Cattle Committee chairman Richard Chamen.

“We won’t get infected by mad cow,” he said.

“We can’t shut our borders totally.”

Australian beef imports are relatively low standing at under 250 tonnes per annum from America, and there are concerns that the two year hold on importing Canadian and American beef would affect Australia’s 280,000 tonnes annual export market there.

“Consumers should be totally confident in the product we sell,” he said.

“But clean, green Australian beef, nothing beats it,Mr Chamen said.

erin.somerville@ruralpres s.com