Klobuchar to South Korean Ambassador: Keep Markets Open to American Beef

Klobuchar to South Korean Ambassador: Keep Markets Open to American Beef

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar today advocated for Minnesota farmers and ranchers, telling South Korean Ambassador Lee Tae-sik that it is crucial to the Minnesota economy for his country to re-open its market to imported American beef.

Klobuchar participated in a meeting with the Ambassador as a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, where she explained that Minnesota farmers and ranchers produce one billion dollars worth of cattle and calves each year. About 100 million dollars of that is destined for the export markets.

"I emphasized that, after more than three years, it is long overdue for Korea to resume imports of American beef products," said Klobuchar. "South Korea's continued restrictions unfairly penalize farmers and ranchers in Minnesota, who have gone to great lengths to ensure that American beef continues to be the safest and healthiest in the world."

Beginning in December 2003, when a case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (mad cow disease) was discovered in the U.S., South Korea banned the import of all American beef. Prior to that ban, South Korea was the third largest export market for American beef, with annual imports valued at more than $800 million.

Last September, South Korea lifted its ban on boneless beef from cattle under 30 months of age. However, it continues to ban all U.S. bone-in beef and boneless beef from cattle over 30 months. South Korea has also turned away two beef shipments that contained any bone fragments.

http://klobuchar.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=267912&&