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Beef import decision 'risks Aussie jobs'

February 6, 2010 by admin

(SMH) The federal government's decision to allow beef to be imported from countries that have had outbreaks of mad cow disease could put 300,000 people out of work in a week, a Senate inquiry has heard. [...] Veterinary surgeon Bob Steel told the inquiry once countries that have BSE were allowed to export beef, there was uncertainty surrounding how effective and thorough the overseas testing would be. "The only requirement for these 22 countries is that if they have a cohort of BSE cattle, that they test them, not all the others," Dr Steel said. "Without identification, how can we possibly know what's coming into the country." The US is not required to say how many cases of BSE they have, he said. read more