China to Require More Tests for U.S. Pork

February 20, 2013 — 

China is set to require that U.S. pork exporters get third-party verification that their products are free of beta-agonists including the leanness-enhancing feed additive ractopamine, according to the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

Spokesman Joe Schuele told Meatingplace that communications with China indicate that Beijing is looking at a March 1 deadline for compliance. Industry officials are working to get more details on what would be acceptable, he said.

"This could be a problem obviously for product already en route to China," Schuele said. China already has a zero-tolerance rule for ractopamine. Third-party verification would add another layer of assurance. U .S. pork exports to China in 2012 totaled 355,000 metric tons at a value of $704 million, making it the third-largest volume market and the fourth-largest value market for U.S. pork exports.

Source: MeatingPlace.com, by Tom Johnson 2/20/2013