N.Z. beef rejection rate high in U.S.

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32539, 24 February 1971, Page 5

N.Z. beef rejection rate high in U.S.

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 23. New Zealand’s hygiene standards for manufacturing beef has been severely criticised by the vice-president of the American Meat Institute (Mr A. P. Davies) who is visiting New Zealand.

Mr Davies said New Zealand had a higher proportion of beef rejected from the United States last year than any other supplying country.

The beef was rejected on hygiene grounds but, he said, he had not analysed the detailed reasons for the

rejections. New Zealand had 2.98 per

cent of its beef rejected in 1970, compared with a rejection rate of 0.17 for Australian beef and 0.93 for Canadian. Australia had the worst rejection record for lamb and mutton imported into the United States last year. Referring to the New Zealand beef position, Mr Davies said: “Obviously something needs to be done.”

Meat company management must heed the fact that it was not dealing with theory, but with facts. “The facts are contained in the United States Wholesome Meat Act of 1967 and have to be adhered to by all processors in the United States, as well as importing countries.

' “It is a traumatic experience for all meat processors and an expensive one. “But if the New Zealand

meat companies are given clear guidelines, not only by American officials, but also by New Zealand’s inspectors, I am sure they will respond.” “Not political” Mr Davies categorically denied that America’s stringent hygiene regulations were being used as a means of reducing the amount of meat imported into the United States.

“The inspection service never has and, I hope, never will be used as a political instrument for either national or international politics,” he said.

About 80 per cent of New Zealand’s manufacturing beef —the type used for hamburgers and hot dogs—goes to the United States.

Mr Davies is visiting Australia and New Zealand at the invitation of the meat boards of the two countries.