The ninth Australian meat processing plant is suspended from imports, and the loss may reach hundreds of millions of dollars

The ninth Australian meat processing plant has been suspended from trading meat to China
.
Brisbane-based Australian Country Choice Company (ACC) received an alert from Australian authorities this morning that its trade with China has been suspended from October 18
.
ACC said in a statement that Chinese authorities have detected a chemical commonly used to treat bacterial infections in dogs in meat processed at its Cannon Hill slaughterhouse
.
"The reason China provided to DAWE is that the random sampling of chloramphenicol in beef products inspected by China at the Ningbo port of entry was unqualified," the ACC statement said
.
“Random product tests that can identify this drug are also conducted at other ports of entry such as the European Union, South Korea, and Japan
.
” DAWE has notified ACC that it has not recently received any testing recommendations from import agencies in these markets
.
"The department has requested a second test to confirm the findings
.
ACC said that chloramphenicol is a drug used to treat bacterial infections in animals, but it is not prescribed for cattle in Australia
.
The company made it clear that the meat in question was not raised on an ACC feedlot or farm
.
"Although the beef product that failed the test is not an ACC product, nor is it a beef product from ACC livestock or farms, it is processed on behalf of a branded non-packer export customer and exported under ACC's 1620 license," ACC Say
.
 　　"Given that the supply chain process is beyond ACC's control, this obviously has a significant impact on its business and its customers' brand plans to enter China
.
" 　　ACC can handle up to 1,400 head of cattle per day, and it said it will now look for alternative markets for beef
.
 　　"The department is currently cooperating with the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) to suspend exports and seek further clarification on the institutions involved," a DAWE spokesperson said
.
 　　ACC became the ninth Australian meat processing plant to suspend trade with China since May last year
.
 　　Federal Minister of Agriculture David Littleproud stated that the export suspension is "a reminder that we need to create, maintain and expand market access for all agricultural exporters
.
" "Despite the information provided to the Chinese authorities and our efforts at the government, department, and diplomatic levels, the suspension still exists," Mr.
Littleproud said in a statement
.
 　　The list of affected meat processing plants includes the John Day factory in Queensland, which is also related to chloramphenicol in meat
.
The industry estimates that the trade suspension will cause hundreds of millions of dollars in losses
.
 　　China remains one of the most profitable markets for Australian beef, and it is understood that there are still 35 Australian meat processing plants eligible to export to China
.
 　　ACC is the first Australian slaughterhouse to suspend trade with China since December last year
.
 　　In May last year, Kilcoy Pastoral Company, Beef City under JBS (near Toowoomba and Dinmore, close to Brisbane) and Northern Cooperative Meat Company in New South Wales were suspended from imports
.
Queensland slaughterhouse John Dee and Meramist are close behind
.
 　　When workers contracted the new crown, two slaughterhouses in Victoria, Australian Lamb Company and JBS Brooklyn, were also banned from selling meat to China
.
Although China allows other meat processing plants around the world to resume trade under similar circumstances, they are still waiting for the resumption of trade
.
Australian Meat China 　　ACC said in a statement that Chinese authorities have detected a chemical commonly used to treat bacterial infections in dogs in meat processed at its Cannon Hill slaughterhouse
.
"The reason China provided to DAWE is that the random sampling of chloramphenicol in beef products inspected by China at the Ningbo port of entry was unqualified," the ACC statement said
.
 　　“Random product tests that can identify this drug are also conducted at other ports of entry such as the European Union, South Korea, and Japan
.
” DAWE has notified ACC that it has not recently received any testing recommendations from import agencies in these markets
.
"import 　　The department has requested a second test to confirm the findings
.
 　　ACC said that chloramphenicol is a drug used to treat bacterial infections in animals, but it is not prescribed for cattle in Australia
.
 　　The company made it clear that the meat in question was not raised on an ACC feedlot or farm
.
"Although the beef product that failed the test is not an ACC product, nor is it a beef product from ACC livestock or farms, it is processed on behalf of a branded non-packer export customer and exported under ACC's 1620 license," ACC Say
.
 　　"Given that the supply chain process is beyond ACC's control, this obviously has a significant impact on its business and its customers' brand plans to enter China
.
" 　　ACC can handle up to 1,400 head of cattle per day, and it said it will now look for alternative markets for beef
.
 　　"The department is currently cooperating with the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) to suspend exports and seek further clarification on the institutions involved," a DAWE spokesperson said
.
 　　ACC became the ninth Australian meat processing plant to suspend trade with China since May last year
.
 　　Federal Minister of Agriculture David Littleproud stated that the export suspension is "a reminder that we need to create, maintain and expand market access for all agricultural exporters
.
" "Despite the information provided to the Chinese authorities and our efforts at the government, department, and diplomatic levels, the suspension still exists," Mr.
Littleproud said in a statement
.
 　　The list of affected meat processing plants includes the John Day factory in Queensland, which is also related to chloramphenicol in meat
.
The industry estimates that the trade suspension will cause hundreds of millions of dollars in losses
.
 　　China remains one of the most profitable markets for Australian beef, and it is understood that there are still 35 Australian meat processing plants eligible to export to China
.
 　　ACC is the first Australian slaughterhouse to suspend trade with China since December last year
.
 　　In May last year, Kilcoy Pastoral Company, Beef City under JBS (near Toowoomba and Dinmore, close to Brisbane) and Northern Cooperative Meat Company in New South Wales were suspended from imports
.
Queensland slaughterhouse John Dee and Meramist are close behind
.
 　　When workers contracted the new crown, two slaughterhouses in Victoria, Australian Lamb Company and JBS Brooklyn, were also banned from selling meat to China
.
Although China allows other meat processing plants around the world to resume trade under similar circumstances, they are still waiting for the resumption of trade
.