(Photo via Canva)Federal officials did not sufficiently assess the risk posed by a devastating cattle disease when they recently decided to allow beef imports from Paraguay, according to agriculture officials of several top beef-producing states. Beef groups dispute USDA risk analysisBut beef industry groups and some federal lawmakers have opposed the change, claiming that the risk analysis was based on outdated information. Cattlemen claim beef decision based on diplomacy goalsThe letter mimicked the criticism that has been leveled for months by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Paraguay is a key U.S. ally in South America, a continent where federal officials have worried about China’s growing influence. But some federal lawmakers fear that beef imports from Paraguay are too risky.

Source: Daily Sun December 16, 2023 05:30 UTC