Congressman Denny Rehberg

WASHIGNTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, this week met with Representative Jason C. Yuan, the Taiwanese ambassador to the United States, to discuss the export of American beef to Taiwan.  Earlier this month, Taiwan placed restrictions on the importation of American beef despite years of extensive negotiations, which had resulted in the opening of the market to American beef in 2009.

“I asked Representative Yuan why Taiwan has erected new trade barriers for U.S. beef, despite the fact the World Organization for Animal Health and millions of satisfied global consumers know that Montana beef is safe,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee.  “While these new restrictions eliminate only a small percentage of our exports, Taiwanese leaders must understand that for our ag community, profits are measured in pennies, and the smallest hit can have major economic ramifications.”

The Taiwanese ceased all beef trade with the U.S. in 2005 after a second cow was diagnosed with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease.  After three years of negotiations, the U.S. and Taiwan signed a new science-based beef trade protocol last October allowing for the importation of beef from cattle under thirty months of age provided that specific tissues were removed.  The Protocol also requires Taiwan and the United States to begin talks six-months hence regarding the further expansion of beef trade to include cattle over thirty months of age. 

Earlier this month, the Taiwanese parliament amended their Food Sanitation Act to ban the importation of offal, ground beef and other assorted beef parts from countries that have had a confirmed case of BSE in the last ten years.  This decision was in direct conflict with the Protocol signed in October, and has caused consternation among lawmakers and cattle producers who rightly see beef trade as an essential component of U.S.-Taiwanese trade relations.

“Montana Farm Bureau appreciates Congressman Rehberg working on trade issues related to beef exports,” Said Nancy Schlepp, the National Affairs Director for the Montana Farm Bureau Federation.  “The Taiwanese have always been great trading partners and we look forward to expanding our beef trade with them.  We provide a safe, quality product that all Montanans and Americans are proud to eat and to export, we hope that Taiwan understands our sincerity to work on this important issue.”

“Montana’s beef is the best in the world,” said Rehberg.  “To try and lock it out of a market on the basis of junk science and misinformation is not acceptable.  I am glad that Representative Yuan took the time to meet with me and discuss this critical issue, but I will continue to impress upon the Taiwanese government how important beef is to the American market and to our future trade relationship.”