U.S. bans fresh beef from Brazil

The United States has banned fresh beef from Brazil due to food safety concerns.

There has been no word from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency or the Canadian Border Services Agency about officials' concerns about food safety risks from importing fresh beef from Brazil.

There is a huge scandal in Brazil over bribery of meat inspectors so shipments could be cleared for export.

Half a dozen packing plants have been shut down by the investigation by federal police in Brazil.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said that 11 per cent of shipments from Brazil have failed to meet standards, so that’s why the ban has been instituted.

That compares with one per cent of beef imports from all countries that fails to meet U.S. standards, the department said.

While the CFIA has said nothing so far, other than a suspension earlier this year for beef from the plants the federal police in Brazil fingered in their investigation, it’s likely that Canada will match the U.S. ban to preserve free trade with the U.S.