Beef imports from BSE nations not traced

February 8, 2010 by admin

Beef imported to Australia from countries where there has been an outbreak of mad cow disease will not be traced back to individual farms, a Senate inquiry has been told. Yet beef farms in Australia are subject to full traceability through the National Livestock Identification System. The double standard drew the ire of coalition senators during a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra on Monday. "How on earth ... can we be sure about the beef that's coming from that (overseas) property?" Nationals senator Fiona Nash asked the chief veterinary officer from the government's Biosecurity Service Group. Asked whether there would be individual assessments of traceability, Dr Andy Carroll replied: "No." read more

Why import healthy cows, let alone possibly infected ones? What's next, importing coal, iron ore, wheat and beach sand?