According to multiple sources, the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is set to publish on Friday a proposed amendment to a rule that will allow China to export poultry products to the U.S. from birds slaughtered in China, a move the U.S. committed to as part of the 100-day plan the Trump administration reached with China.
[Jack Caporal] June 14th, 2017 [Inside Trade]
One consumer advocate noted that the timing of the FSIS rule comes days after the U.S. and China hammered out a deal to allow U.S. beef to be exported to China for the first time in over a decade. China and the U.S. have historically linked access to each other’s beef and poultry markets, sources say.
Under the initial outcomes of the 100-day plan, the U.S. committed to publishing the proposed rule to allow the import of China-origin cooked poultry by July 16 and China pledged to strike a deal with the U.S. to allow U.S. beef into its markets by that date as well.
In 2016 following a review of China’s poultry slaughter inspection system, USDA determined it to be equivalent to U.S. standards — although food safety advocates and a number of members of Congress vehemently disagree with that conclusion.
The consumer advocate source said there will be a comment period on the rule and that USDA is likely to receive a mountain of notes opposing the rule. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) in April sought to prohibit funding for the implementation of the rule FSIS will propose.
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