The First U.S. Beef in Many Years Arrives in China

Secretary Sonny Perdue called it a huge deal when the agreement that allowed U.S. beef back into China, and the first shipment arrived Friday.

USDA Livestock Analyst Shayle Shagam says it’s still early though and that it will be a while, “for them to get the product that they need that meets the specifications that are part of the agreement.”

What are those specifications? Shagam says they include, “Traceability all the way back to the farm. The Chinese will not accept product that has artificial growth hormones, so you will have to develop that pool of animals which will fit the criteria. But it’s a doable proposition.”

Cattle also have to be under 30 months of age to be imported into China.