VZCZCXYZ0007
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #0100 0201141
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201141Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4753
INFO RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS CAIRO 000100 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
USDA FOR OSTA/AD, OCRA/MEA, OFSO 
DEPT PASS USTR FOR AGRICULTURE/LOCONNOR 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD EG
SUBJECT:  EGYPT STEPS FORWARD ON U.S. BONE-IN BEEF 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY Egypt has offered to expand access for U.S. beef 
products by adding bone-in beef from animals less than 30 months of 
age to the eligible product list.  Currently, Egypt only permits 
imports of U.S. boneless beef and variety meats from animals less 
than 30 months of age.  While this expands U.S. beef market access, 
it does not meet OIE (World Animal Health Organization) guidelines 
which permit the import from controlled risk countries of all cuts 
of meat from cattle of all ages with removal of specified risk 
materials (SRMs).  Egypt's Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) has 
indicated a need to confirm U.S. practices on removal of specified 
risk materials from cattle over 30 months of age in line with OIE 
guidelines.  For the U.S. part, we will need to confirm that Egypt 
is prepared to recognize Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) 
regulations relative to SRM-removal practices.  As part of a 
previously-scheduled trip to the United States to attend the Atlanta 
Poultry Exposition, the Egyptian CVO has agreed to meet with USDA 
officials in Washington on February 2 to discuss a pathway to full 
implementation of OIE guidelines, which would allow importation of 
all beef and beef products with no age restriction.  FAS Egypt seeks 
Washington agency guidance on how to proceed on this visit.  END 
SUMMARY 
 
¶2. (SBU) On November 15, Egypt's Chief Veterinary Officer informed 
FAS/Cairo by fax that the General Organization for Veterinary 
Services (GOVS) had approved the importation of bone-in beef from 
the United States from cattle under 30 months of age, recognizing 
our controlled risk status for BSE (Bovine Spongiform 
Encephalopathy). 
 
¶3. (SBU) In discussions over the past two months, the CVO has stated 
a willingness to remove the age restriction in the coming months 
based on an improved understanding of the handling of SRMs in U.S. 
meat packing plants under USDA Food Safety Inspection Service 
oversight.  Senior GOVS officials have had the opportunity to review 
information provided by FAS/W on SRMs based on the age of cattle. 
They appear satisfied that FSIS requirements are in line with OIE 
guidelines, but believe that they need to confirm that in-plant 
procedures are effective in the removal of SRMs, especially from 
cattle OTM.(NOTE: Currently Egypt requires the removal of a more 
extensive list of SRMs from UTM cattle than those required under OIE 
guidelines.  This would have to change in order for Egypt to be 
consistent with the OIE guidelines.  To be consistent with the Korea 
agreement on beef, as noted by FAS Washington, Egypt also would have 
to recognize FSIS regulations relative to SRM-removal.  END NOTE) 
 
¶4. (SBU) Egypt's willingness to consider expanded beef access is in 
response to FAS Cairo's letter of October 19 requesting access for 
all cuts from all ages of cattle, in addition to FAS/Cairo 
spearheading the issue over the past year with the CVO and his 
senior staff.  The final push to expand beef access likely came from 
Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Amin Abaza himself, 
following his visit to the United States during October 8-16, 2009. 
Bone-in beef shipments to Egypt could generate an additional $5 
million in annual exports.  U.S. boneless beef exports should exceed 
$22 million in 2009, a five-fold increase over 2008, as U.S. beef is 
increasingly competitive with other sources.  Adding bone-in beef to 
our lineup, will spur significant additional sales according to 
importers. 
 
¶5. (SBU) One issue that has arisen in discussions of import 
requirements for bone-in beef is that GOVS envisions requiring an 
Egyptian veterinary committee to observe the slaughter for each 
shipment, at the importer's expense.  GOVS does not require this of 
U.S. boneless beef and variety meat shipments, but does require it 
for all other countries shipping meat and poultry to Egypt.  The 
original requirement arose because of problems with beef/buffalo 
meat shipments from India and Brazil in 2002.  U.S. beef was not 
subject to this requirement because of our strong meat food safety 
system.  FAS/Cairo has informed GOVS that USDA would not agree to 
shipment by shipment inspection, but could support, as part of a 
validation audit, a visit to one or more U.S. plants to confirm the 
handling of SRMs. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The Government of Egypt is also very sensitive to food 
safety issues, where they have come under fire from legislators and 
the press, including recent concerns over the food safety of 
imported wheat.  Minister Abaza wants to make sure his technical 
staff is confident of U.S. practices on SRMs before moving forward 
to allowing beef imports fully consistent with the OIE guidelines. 
 
¶7. (SBU) FAS Cairo plans to meet with the CVO and his senior staff 
before his travel to the United States to further explore these beef 
market access-related issues.  In preparation for this meeting, 
FAS/W guidance on laying-out a possible roadmap to full beef access 
would be greatly appreciated in order to establish expectations for 
his trip both in Cairo and in Washington. 
SCOBEY