Taiwan Ractopamine Ban Continues
Taiwan’s 2012 presidential and legislative elections concluded in January with President Ma winning re-election. The new Cabinet has wasted no time in dealing with that nation’s ractopamine ban. As a result of the ban being already in place, U.S. pork exports to Taiwan dropped by around 30 percent in 2011 from 2010 levels. And now U.S. beef exports are being impacted. Taiwan’s cabinet has now formed a task force to address U.S. beef containing ractopamine.
The National Pork Producers Council is pressing Taiwan to establish a maximum residue level for ractopamine. NPPC is also urging U.S. lawmakers to support the administration in bringing this long-standing issue to a resolution.
Like China, Taiwan refuses to accept pork processed from pigs that consumed ractopamine in the finishing process. Use of ractopamine has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is accepted in 26 countries. No scientific evidence supports Taiwan's policy.
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