Due to the reinstatement of equivalence to Paraguay and the resolution of a zoonotic disease outbreak, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA’s APHIS) has announced a final rule to allow the import of fresh beef from the country under certain conditions. The final rule will enable raw intact beef products produced from cattle slaughtered in certified Paraguayan establishments on or after the final rule’s effective date of December 14, 2023 to be eligible for export to the U.S.
On March 24, 2023, FSIS granted a reinstatement of equivalence to Paraguay for its food safety inspection system for raw intact beef products, based on the assessment of the country’s documentation and in-country verification audits that were conducted from November 1–17, 2021 and July 11–22, 2022. However, Paraguay, at the time, had been ineligible to export raw beef products to the U.S. due to animal health restrictions imposed by APHIS related to foot-and-mouth disease.