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Woodall: Brazilian, Argentine beef imports political

Colin Woodall of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says the USDA’s decision to allow beef imports from parts of Brazil and Argentina is political.

“This is a case where our own government was looking out more for a foreign entity than it was for their domestic producers,” Woodall told Brownfield Ag News Wednesday.

The USDA failed to do adequate risk assessments relating to those countries’ previous foot and mouth disease issues, said Woodall. The reason, according to Woodall, is so that President Obama could present the import news to Brazil’s president while she was in Washington this week.

“We think they’re all political,” said Woodall, commenting about what he thinks are the reasons the USDA made the decision to allow the imports.  “Because there is no reason why the United States Department of Agriculture, who is supposed to be looking out for our interests, is brushing our concerns aside in order to hand this present to the Brazilians.”

Woodall says the NCBA wants to stop the USDA’s import plan until site visits to both countries can be made.

AUDIO: Colin Woodall (5 min. MP3)