PHILIPPINES | RP Reportedly Bans Aussie Beef Due To Anthrax Scare | The Phili...

PHILIPPINES

RP Reportedly Bans Aussie Beef Due To Anthrax Scare

The Philippine government has reportedly imposed a temporary ban on the importation of beef from Australia, following reports of a possible anthrax outbreak in one of its cattle regions. An official of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) said that as a "precautionary and emergency" measure, the government is temporarily suspending the issuance of veterinary quarantine clearances for applications to import beef from the whole of Australia. The bulk of the Philippines' beef imports come from Australia. From January to November this year, the country imported a total of 15.7 million kilos from Australia. The ban does not cover live cattle.

SOUTH KOREA        

Hog Cholera Prevents Resumption Of Korean Exports To Japan

South Korea will export no pork to Japan until at least the second half of 2003, the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in Seoul has concluded after Korea suffered seven positive cases of hog cholera since Oct. 7.

The Korean government suspended vaccination against hog cholera on Dec. 1, 2001, in an attempt to meet Japanese import regulations that allow pork imports only from countries that are free of hog cholera and do not vaccinate their hogs. Two outbreaks of hog cholera occurred in April 2002, and, although these outbreaks were contained and vaccination was not renewed, seven other cases were confirmed in October and November. The most recent was on November 16. The type of hog cholera discovered this time is "Type 2," never known in Korea before and thus presumably introduced from another country.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving … USMEF Online News will be updated again Monday Dec. 2