U.S./South Korea Beef Agreement Overview

U.S./South Korea Beef Agreement Overview

The decision yesterday by South Korea to lift its ban on the importation of U.S. beef should lead to the opening of that key export market in the near future. 

The export program will not be effective until it has been posted on both the AMS (Agricultural Marketing Service) website of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and in the FSIS (Food Safety Inspection Service) Library of Export Requirements.  AMS will send instructions to U.S. packers as they are finalized.

Following are key components of the agreement:

• The U.S. beef industry has committed to exporting only beef products derived from cattle younger then 30 months of age.
• The U.S. beef industry has requested that USDA-AMS create a Quality System Assessment (QSA) program which will verify that systems are in place to ensure that beef products exported to Korea are from cattle younger than 30 months of age.
• The U.S. beef industry will not export brain, spinal cord, skulls or eyes to South Korea.
• The only exporters approved initially and for an undetermined time period will be facilities with approved EV programs and cold storages that these facilities designate to USDA as being eligible to export their product to South Korea.
• Approval of additional U.S. facilities within the first 90 days after the market opens will require an on-site audit by Korean authorities.  After 90 days, the USDA will have the authority to provide approval for additional facilities.

USMEF will provide additional details on the agreement with South Korea as they become available.  Please contact USMEF if you have additional questions.

U.S./South Korea Beef Agreement Overview

The decision yesterday by South Korea to lift its ban on the importation of U.S. beef should lead to the opening of that key export market in the near future. 

The export program will not be effective until it has been posted on both the AMS (Agricultural Marketing Service) website of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and in the FSIS (Food Safety Inspection Service) Library of Export Requirements.  AMS will send instructions to U.S. packers as they are finalized.

Following are key components of the agreement:

• The U.S. beef industry has committed to exporting only beef products derived from cattle younger then 30 months of age.
• The U.S. beef industry has requested that USDA-AMS create a Quality System Assessment (QSA) program which will verify that systems are in place to ensure that beef products exported to Korea are from cattle younger than 30 months of age.
• The U.S. beef industry will not export brain, spinal cord, skulls or eyes to South Korea.
• The only exporters approved initially and for an undetermined time period will be facilities with approved EV programs and cold storages that these facilities designate to USDA as being eligible to export their product to South Korea.
• Approval of additional U.S. facilities within the first 90 days after the market opens will require an on-site audit by Korean authorities.  After 90 days, the USDA will have the authority to provide approval for additional facilities.

USMEF will provide additional details on the agreement with South Korea as they become available.  Please contact USMEF if you have additional questions.