During the recent 75th General Session of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE), a resolution was adopted recognizing the United States and Canada as countries with a controlled risk for the disease, known as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap has issued new guidelines on the continued importation of beef from the US and Canada subject to certain conditions, namely:

• Only boneless beef can be sourced from cattle under 30 months;
  
• Beef, whether boneless or bone-in, should be devoid of Specified Risk Materials;
  
• Whether boneless or bone-in, the beef should come only from healthy ambulatory and not downed cattle;
  
• The US Department of Agriculture or the Canadian Food Inspection Agency should certify the age of the slaughtered cattle; and
  
• The production date or slaughter date of the beef should be included in the packaging label.

Yap ordered that all import transactions of beef products from the US and Canada comply with the existing rules and regulations of the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).

Source: Philippine Star