Amarillo Gazette

Earlier this week, Congressman Ronny Jackson of Texas and House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson from Pennsylvania sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The letter requests a review of the procedures and methodology used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) regarding the decision to allow the importation of fresh beef from Paraguay.

On November 14, 2023, the USDA decided to permit these imports based on risk assessment data collected over ten years ago during site visits to Paraguay. This decision has raised concerns about potential risks to America's beef, pork, and sheep industries due to outdated assessments. Paraguay has a history of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in its beef herds, which could threaten American livestock.

Congressman Jackson stated: “Chairman Thompson and I will not stand by and allow the Biden-Harris administration to put our livestock producers and agricultural economies at risk by hastily implementing this rule using outdated information from over ten years ago. This is negligence at best and malfeasance at worst."

Chairman Thompson expressed his appreciation for Representative Jackson's leadership on this issue and looks forward to the GAO study results.

Russell Boening, President of Texas Farm Bureau, emphasized the importance of ensuring trading partners meet U.S. animal health and food safety standards. He noted that importing Paraguayan beef could pose a serious threat due to Paraguay's struggles with FMD outbreaks.

The full letter is available for public viewing.