Namibia’s first beef batch reaches US

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Source: http://www.micausa.org/namibias-first-beef-batch-reaches-us/


The Namibian, by Charmaine Ngatjiheue 2020-04-23

NAMIBIA’s first beef consignment sent to the USA around 20 February this year has finally reached its destination.

The consignment arrived in the USA on 17 April.

President and consultant for Import Export Associares (IEA), Leonard Lang shared this information with The Namibian and said the 25 tonnes of beef is Meatco’s first full container exported to the US.

The beef exports come after 18 years of extensive negotiations between the two countries.

In 2002 and 2005, Namibia initiated negotiations on the export of meat products to the US, with the intention of exporting boneless raw beef products such as prime cuts, chuck, blade and beef trimming.

Lang said it is good news to have the first full container of beef arrive in the US, adding that Meatco processes a product of high quality.

He said Meatco is the first company from Africa eligible to export meat to the US and the product is grass-fed with no added hormones or antibiotics.

“I visited the establishment last year. They produce a safe, high-quality product. They should be proud of their operations. I am looking forward to more products arriving this year,” he said.

Lang added that Verde Farms is the importer and produces grass-fed products.

Meanwhile, Agro Merchants, the Mullica Hill team operating the largest import establishment in the country, inspected the beef consignment to see whether it met the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards.

Meatco is a Namibian beef processor which has been audited by USDA and recognised as equivalent to US establishments.

GPS Group provides import and export services worldwide. Thee years of experience contribute to the operations and services.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) in the US reinspects consignments.

The FSIS regulates meat, poultry and egg products.

Every day, FSIS carries out a stringent and comprehensive programme designed to ensure the safety and wholesomeness of imported meat, poultry and egg products.

Namibian ambassador to the US, Monica Nashandi said: “This is good news. Finally we can celebrate this historic milestone. I hope the situation, in terms of Covid-19, will soon be back to normal so we can have a real celebration. Congratulations.”

Speaking at the send-off of the consignment on 20 February, deputy prime minister and international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said the occasion signifies how ties between Namibia and the US continue to be strengthened through different bilateral agreements and the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa).

“I think this may be one of the longest protocols ever that the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of USA and the Namibian Directorate of Veterinary Service (DVS) had taken to ensure all technical areas are cleared and are in accordance with various established protocols. Namibia is proud of this achievement,” she said at the time.

Namibia underwent several audits in September 2019, including a public health and assurance audit by the US via Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS).

On an annual basis, DVS submits an online self-audit, which FSIS verifies with an on-site audit every two years.

The audit ensures that Namibia complies with all the import requirements of the US beef market and, based on the final audit report, Namibia was granted access to continue exports to the US.

Meatco will be exporting boneless raw beef products and may also export both chilled and frozen boneless meat to the US.
 

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Interesting news Jerome! Thanks for sharing.
 
I question importing when we can grow all we need right here at home and keep the jobs and money in our own economy. Sounds too political to me without very much benefit. If Namibia shipped a container in February where has it been and what condition is the meat in after all this time( 2 months)?
 
Considering we have a trade surplus with Namibia, this is good news for them.
 
My friend there is pretty involved with the farmers CO-OP type thing there. This is a really big deal for them, but not necessarily in a monetary way for them. They have been jumping through hoop and out of pocket expenses for the ranchers to meet the disease free certifications via inoculations and vaccinations for years. One 40ft shipping container of frozen boneless meat isn't really a threat to the US beef industry. Mostly because the US "organic" and "grass feed" market demand isn't that large here. For proof of that, all you need to do is go into any regular grocery store here and look in the meat-beef section for the organic/grass feed selections. Tiny compared to the the regular grain feed beef. And a good bit of that is imported from Argentina and some from Australia.

The biggest irony is, that the severe drought the past several years in Namibia has forced an awful lot of cattle producers to liquidate nearly their entire herds. It was either that or just let them starve to death. It's been so bad that even the few dairy farmers in the NE have had to drastically cut their herds back because there is insufficient forage to feed them. And what little is available is sky high and not affordable anyway.

Just my opine - your mileage and opine may vary.
 
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Good news for Namibia ....unfortunately this could not have happened at a worst time .... currently looks like over production is USA due to no Restaurants etc. Hopefully this can fill in for shortages from some processing plants . Already see some items running out in some spots .. Hopefully things return to as close as normal pretty soon !
 
So much gloom and doom going on. All folks can talk about. Hey, if it is good for an African nation, supports their economy, and creates a mutually beneficial situation, hip hip hoorah! Namibian Beef - The Other Red Meat!
 
The few times I've ordered beef in a restaurant there, usually a "rump steak", it has been very good. Seemed to have a bit more of a "beefy" flavor, tenderer than you'd expect for grass feed. My friend there, because they normally eat only game meet at the ranch, always orders the, "500gr rump steak, with a good piece of fat" and asks them to let him see the steak before they cook it. I've always noticed, whether in the restaurant or in the grocery stores, it doesn't have the same amount of marbling as US grain fed beef so obviously not a rich/filling, but almost as tender and does seem to have that beefier flavor.

We almost never order beef mostly because of the varieties of game meets normally on the menus.

One very cool thing is you can go into any regular grocery store or butchery and purchase nearly every variety of game meet and us usually a little less then beef.
 
This is the ultimate in frustration for me personally. I knew this was coming as I spend a fair amount of time on farms in Namibia.
You see since the 1990’s we have been trying to import frozen Dorper sheep embryos from RSA and Namibia. There were a few shipped to Canada in the 1990’s but never directly to the US. Not to bore you with the details but we can’t import triple washed (Chemical process) frozen sheep embryos from tested donors due to Southern Africa having some foot and mouth in the northern game regions. But now we get to import meat!
Frustrated,
Philip
 
Kinda reminds me when I came back though customs from Namibia. They where worried about our shoes. I assume this was for hoof and mouth. I told my wife that bottle of sand that the staff gave you will never make it. Well they went through our luggage and the guy ask what was in the bottle. I said sand from Namibia. He just said okay you're good to go.
 
AS A US BEEF AND GRAIN PRODUCER THIS IS ONE MORE EXAMPLE OF OUR GOVERNMENT DOING EVERTHING THEY CAN DO TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE HIT FROM EVERY DIRECTION! ITS HARD TO SEE A BRIGHT SIDE TO THIS WHEN WE ARE ABOUT TO EUTHANIZE PIGS AND CATTLE IN THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE THE VALUE OF THEM AND THE LACK OF PROCESSING! DAIRY OPERATIONS ARE DUMPING MILK AND OUR GRAIN PRICES ARE MAKING EVEN WELL FUNDED CORPORATE FARMS GO BROKE LET ALONE FAMILY OPERATIONS.
THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD BE A BIGGER SLAP IN THE FACE WOULD BE TO IMPORT PORK, BEEF, CORN, WHEAT, AND MILK FROM CHINA! AND WHY NOT THEY GAVE US 30% UNEMPLOYMENT OUT OF A BOOMING ECONOMY AND 70,000 DEATHS
 
Just talked to a rancher friend in KS. He told me he just sold a trailer of steers and got $200/head less than his last sale! Ouch!
 
The ones who care the least are getting the most: two bit politicos who don't give a damn about the farmers and ranchers and common folks as long as they line their pockets. Good thing this is an election year. Maybe we can kick some of them out.
 
I'm a farmer and rancher as well. This frustrates me but I understand trade. I promote import-export but just wish COOL or truthful labeling would be established. I think most Americans would be surprised on where their protien comes from. Also, I think most would support nationally born and raised livestock. The only profit I've made on cattle in the last 5 months have been the on farm sales to local families. And they saved 35% of retail! The packers are robbing us blind on both ends.
 

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