Dept. of Agriculture lifts ban on French beef
PHILIPPINES - The Department of Agriculture has lifted the six-year ban on French beef and cattle products after the Office International des Epizooties cleared France of the dreaded mad cow disease.The directive only allows entry of deboned and deglanded beef not older than 30 months and that the meat should be devoid of any nerves and other mad cow risk materials as certified by the French government.
The beef should come only from healthy, ambulatory and not downer cattle born and grown in France and that slaughter of the cattle and the cutting/packaging of the beef was done in a meat facility used only for 30 months old and younger, the directive said.
The beef should not at anytime and in any manner get in contact or mixed with beef coming from cattle older than 30 months and that the slaughter date of the cattle or the production date of the beef should be included in the packaging label.
Traders may now secure permits to import cattle products from France.
France, along with Austria, Denmark, Finland, Italy and Luxembourg, are now allowed to ship out cattle products following the lifting of the ban.
Source:Manila Standard Today