U.S. beef to be debated on Dec. 29

At a Legislative Yuan meeting yesterday, the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative caucus demanded that legislation of amendments to the Act Governing Food Sanitation over the U.S. beef import issue should not be delayed any longer.

Wang Hsing-nan, a whip of the DPP caucus, challenged the KMT for a showdown, on Dec. 29, for a final decision on the amendment issue.

He said that the DPP has proposed a DPP-version amendment, which categorically prohibits the import of products such as offal, ground beef, spinal cords, brains, and skulls, in order to “bar the beef imports at the source and borders.”

The ruling Kuomintang (KMT) legislative caucus, meanwhile, said it will seek an emergency consensus with the administration before Dec. 25 on how a KMT-version amendment should be presented.

The KMT caucus has put up a bill for consideration for the first time on Nov. 17 that would officially allow imports of bone-in beef and other U.S. beef procusts. The bill, however, has been boycotted by the DPP.

Meanwhile, KMT legislative whip Lu Hsueh-chang said the caucus will invite National Security Council Secretary-General Su Chi to a caucus meeting on Dec. 25 to present the administration's discourse about its stance on a possible, workable amendment.

Lu said KMT Secretary-General King Pu-tsung will also be invited to attend the meeting to offer the ruling party's opinions on the matter.

Department of Health (DOH) Minister Yaung Chih liang assured the Taiwan public Tuesday that strict measures, known as the “three controls” and “five certifications,” have indeed been effective in keeping potentially hazardous beef parts from the United States out of Taiwan.

Yaung said the DOH also supports the inclusion of the “three controls” and “five certifications” in a proposed amendment to the Act Governing Food Sanitation.

The so-called three controls refer to setting controls on beef imports at the source, at borders and in markets.

The five certifications refer to verifying certification documents, checking that shipments are marked with detailed product information, opening a high percentage of cartons of imported beef to check the product, conducting food safety tests, and being able to get information on suspected problem product immediately, according to DOH officials.

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