John Myers Jr., Coordinator
PRESIDENT OF the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Senator Norman Grant, said he would support calls for the Ministry of Agriculture to examine the possibility of imposing a ban on beef coming from the United States (US) in light of a cattle being confirmed with Bovine Spongiform Encephelopathy (BSE) or "Mad Cow" disease.
"The Jamaica Agricultural Society certainly understands the need to examine a ban because once you have a second test that has come then there is a cause for concern. The JAS will certainly not have a problem with the imposition of a temporary ban...because it is better to be safe than to be sorry," Senator Grant told the Farmers Weekly.
SATISFYING THE LOCAL
Senator Grant, in acknowledging that the local beef industry would not be able to satisfy the local demand for beef, said consumers could be encouraged to consume more of other available meats, such as chicken, where there is currently an over-supply on the local market.
"While we understand the nature of the inter-changeability of poultry versus beef, (the ban) could certainly result to some of the corrective problems that we have with the over-supply of chicken meat right now." In addition, the JAS president said he supported the "temporary ban on the importation of chicken parts from overseas because you certainly need to give the local industry a breather. It just don't make economic sense to have surplus supply locally and at the same time we are bringing in."
NO CURRENT EVIDENCE
Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke has since said there was no evidence at this time to support the imposition of a ban on beef from the US. He, however, said his ministry was continuing to examine the situation and is in contact with the World Health Organisation (WHO), which monitors health issues on a world scale, to examine the importation of US beef into Jamaica.
The minister warned that he could not just impose a ban without a credible basis as Jamaica could also face the possiblity of a ban on products, such as ackee, peppers and yam that we export to the US.
In the meantime, Mr. Clarke said measures have been put in place to ensure that stipulations that prevent the importation of certain cattle parts such as the brain, spinal chord and column and intestines are enforced.
Senator Grant noted that the JAS would be guided by
whatever decision is taken by the Minister of Agriculture.
