Chinese customs officials announced it would continue banning the import of beef under 30 months of age after a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was found in the United Kingdom (U.K.) last month.
In September, the U.K.’s Animal and Plant Health Agency said a case of BSE had been confirmed on a farm in Somerset. The ban took effect on Sept. 29, according to a statement from the General Administration of Customs in China.
Christine Middlemiss, chief veterinary officer in the U.K., said in a statement, “We have some of the highest levels of biosecurity in the world, which are supported by robust control systems. Our products are safe and should continue to be traded.”
In 2018, Chinese officials agreed to purchase U.K. beef after years of site inspections and negotiations, but they have yet to restart purchasing beef.
