SA AND US AGREE ON PROTOCOL TO ADDRESS AGRICULTURAL ISSUES

SA AND US AGREE ON PROTOCOL TO ADDRESS AGRICULTURAL ISSUES

South Africa and the United States veterinary experts met on Monday, the 14^th of September 2015, in Pretoria, to take stock and advance the technical discussions on the Animal Health issues related to the imports of poultry, pork and beef meat from the United States.

On the poultry protocol and poultry certificate the Vets from the two sides agreed as follows:

“The parties agree to finalize a protocol for export of poultry meat and day old chicks based on surveillance compliant with the OIE chapter on Avian influenza in a specified area, biosecurity measures in specified premises and traceability of products to slaughter establishments. South Africa and the United States will finalize terms and conditions and the USDA FSIS poultry certificate for export by 15^th October 2015 to enable contracting and shipments of US poultry exports to entire RSA prior to the end of 2015.”

The poultry protocol will provide the technical basis to allow for the continued import of poultry from the non-affected areas in the US in the event of renewed outbreaks of avian influenza.

On beef, South Africa had already removed the ban on the imports of US beef and had communicated this officially to the US. The vets from the two sides agreed on the technical issues required, and further information needed, to expedite the issuing of the necessary animal health certificate to allow for the import of beef meat from the US.

On pork, while the South African market for pork is open to the US, the two sides shared information on the technical requirements for the importation of cuts that were of interest to the US.

South Africa also discussed some issues where it had an ongoing interest in exporting its own animal products to the US, including beef and ostrich meat. The US provided South Africa with information on the technical requirements for access to the US market and agreed to expedite and facilitate the process towards obtaining the necessary health certificates for these products.

In addition the dti agreed that:

"South Africa shall implement the TRQ of 65 000 metric tons as agreed in the Paris meeting in June 2015 as soon as possible with a view to completing the administrative justice process that needs to be followed by the end of 2015".

South Africa remains committed to fully implementing the letter and spirit of the Agreement reached in Paris by the US and South Africa on the issues related to AGOA. The process is irreversible.