After USDA ordered the recall of 13.4 tons of Argentine beef because the merchandise had been commercially distributed before completing the mandatory import reinspection, the Government clarified that the episode was due to an administrative non-compliance that occurred in that country and assured that Argentine exports continue to develop normally.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the mandatory recall of the merchandise. Meanwhile, the Argentine government clarified that “this is not a problem of food safety, contamination, or product quality; the situation stems from an administrative non-compliance by the importer during the import process in the United States.”
The importing firm issued a letter acknowledging that it was an administrative error that occurred in the United States and clarified that the situation had no relation to the exporting establishment or to the Argentine health or safety system.
The letter was shared with the Meat Import Council of America (MICA) to clarify the circumstances of the incident. The government emphasized that the incident does not affect beef trade between the two countries and that Argentine shipments to the United States continue as normal.
As reported, the incident did not result in any punishment for the meatpacking plant that supplied the meat, nor did it cause any problems for exports, which continue as normal.
The discovery was made public by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The product, imported by Corte Argentino USA LLC, a Florida-based company, from the Argentine meatpacking plant Gorina, was reportedly stored in the warehouse of another company, a well-known and reputable firm in the United States. The official statement did not specify the company’s name.
In that regard, it was learned that the latter company, due to some error, failed to carry out the required reinspection. Furthermore, it was clarified that the situation does not involve any health issues, but only this administrative matter.
Gorina is one of Argentine’s largest exporters of beef to various markets, including China, the country’s largest market today.
