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Irish lamb and sheep meat could have full entry to the American market beneath a brand new settlement reached between Eire and america division of agriculture.
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue mentioned the deal on bilateral veterinary certification would enable Irish sheep meat vegetation to formally apply for approval to export to the US.
The announcement of the settlement got here because the Minister prepares to steer a significant agri-food commerce mission this week to america which incorporates visits to Chicago, Ohio and Washington DC.
Minister of State Martin Heydon could have engagements in Texas and Mexico.
European sheep meat exports have been excluded from the US market since 1998 because of the presence of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) in sure EU international locations.
Nevertheless strikes have been underway for a while to have this ban reversed.
The brand new settlement follows on from the publication final December of a US division of agriculture rule which eliminated restrictions on exports of most sheep and goat merchandise from the EU.
Mr McConalogue mentioned: “This settlement offers full entry for Irish sheep meat to the US market. It marks one other welcome transfer within the diversification of abroad markets for Irish sheep meat in keeping with the Meals Imaginative and prescient 2030 aim of accessing and growing new market alternatives in precedence markets. It’s the results of diligent work by my officers and the Embassy of Eire in Washington DC, following the lifting final December of the US ban on EU sheep meat exports.”
“The speedy settlement on certification situations comes after a few years of preparatory work; specifically, US recognition in 2019 of the equivalence Eire’s sheep meat inspection system with US home requirements. It’s, subsequently, very a lot a testomony to the excessive requirements and fame of Irish sheep farming. Our sheep farmers are world class producing a protected, sustainable and wholesome product that’s in demand in markets throughout the globe.”
The Minister mentioned it was now as much as business working together with his division to use for and full the plant approval course of, over the approaching months.
“I hope to see exporters reap the benefits of this area of interest alternative as quickly as potential”, he mentioned.
Bord Bia chief government Tara McCarthy mentioned: “There has by no means been a greater time for Irish corporations to export lamb to the US, with Bord Bia analysis displaying that lamb consumption is rising amongst shoppers, notably within the youthful age classes in North America. ”
“In June, Bord Bia launches a three-year EU co-funded beef and lamb promotion within the US, known as ‘Working with Nature’. This marketing campaign sees Bord Bia investing €1 million euro in advertising and marketing and promotional seminars, occasions and promotional actions from 2022 to 2025. This programme exhibits Bord Bia’s ongoing dedication to growing sustainable enterprise relationships for our business.”
Bord Bia’s analysis prompt the import volumes of sheep meat to the US had elevated from 103,527 tonnes in 2015 to 166,165 tonnes in 2021.
Of final 12 months’s imports, roughly 68 per cent was frozen and 32 per cent was chilled. Australia and New Zealand account for almost all of imports to the US, representing 98 per cent of all imports in quantity phrases.
The Minister mentioned america was a key marketplace for Irish agri-food with exports valued at €1.3 billion final 12 months.
Ms McCarthy mentioned the US was now Eire’s second largest export market after the UK, with exports up 22 per cent on 2020.
Beef exports to the US reaching roughly €36million in 2021, which was virtually 5 occasions greater than the extent achieved in 2017.
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