U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues in signing a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue expressing concerns over the agency’s recent decision to lift the U.S. ban on Brazilian raw beef imports.
“Given that the United States halted Brazilian raw beef imports less than one year after Brazil was granted access in 2016, we have serious concerns about Brazil’s ability to maintain adequate food safety standards over the long run,” the letter reads.
The U.S. cited concerns over public health, poor sanitary conditions, and animal health when it last halted Brazilian raw beef imports in 2017.
The letter was led by Senator Thune (R-S.D.), and also signed by Senators Tester (D-Mont.), Daines (R-Mont.), Moran (R-Kan.), Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Rounds (R-S.D.), Cramer (R-N.D.), Hoeven (R-N.D.), Enzi (R-Wyo.), Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Booker (D-N.J.), Stabenow (D-Mich.), and Peters (D-Mich).