COMPULSORY APPLICATION OF BSE CONTROLLED RISK MEASURES ON THE CONDITIONAL IMPORTATION OF BEEF AND BEEF PRODUCTS FROM JAPAN

WHEREAS, the government of Japan issued an Administrative guidance to
prohibit the use of ruminant meat and bone meal for ruminant feed in
April 1996;

WHEREAS, Resolution No. XXII of the International Committee upon
recommendation of the Scientific Commission for Animal Diseases of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) dated May 26, 2009 recognizes
Japan as having a controlled Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
risk in accordance with Chapter 11.6 of the OIE Terrestrial Animal
Health Code;

WHEREAS, recent international guidelines set out by the OIE Animal
Health Code on controlled BSE risk calls for certain conditions under
which all beef and beef products from animals of all ages maybe safely
traded;

WHEREAS, Department of Agriculture (DA) Memorandum Order No. 30,
series of 2006 has lifted the ban on the importation of beef and beef
products from Japan;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ATTY. ARTHUR C. YAP, Secretary of Agriculture, by
the powers vested in me by law, do hereby authorize the importation of
beef and beef products from Japan provided the following specific
measures are observed:

1. Boneless and bone-in beef can be sourced from cattle of all ages
devoid of any nerves and other BSE-specified risk materials (SRM) shall
be imported.

2. The beef, whether boneless or bone-in should come only from healthy ambulatory and not downer cattle.

3. The age of the slaughter cattle shall be certified by the government authority.

4. The slaughter date of the cattle or the production date of the beef shall be included in the packaging label.

All shipments into the country of beef and beef products originating
from Japan not complying with these conditions shall be confiscated by
DA Veterinary Quarantine Officers/Inspectors at all major sea/airports.

All orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof, which are
inconsistent with the provisions of this order are hereby repealed or
amended accordingly.

This ORDER shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 01 July 2009

(SGD.) ATTY. ARTHUR C. YAP
Secretary