U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds hopes to overturn a recent federal decision allowing beef imports from Paraguay.
The senator intends to file a Congressional Review Act resolution hoping to overturn the recent decision.
Rounds said Paraguay has a history of herd illnesses and that the country lacks reliable beef reporting systems.
“In this particular case, we’re talking about a health issue. And what we don’t want is to have consumers be worried about the quality of the beef that they want to feed their families,” said Rounds.
In an interview with SDPB’s Lori Walsh on In The Moment, Rounds said there are valid reasons for his opposition.
“It’s simply a matter of trying to protect our consumers so that they don’t get sick. And second of all, so that our producers, who do a great job of taking care of their livestock, that they don’t get disadvantaged because somebody in another country isn’t taking the same precautions as they are,” said Rounds.
Rounds suggested that the USDA conduct field studies on the quality standard of beef in Paraguay before changing the policy.
“I want them to hold off on the importation, or the allowance of this, because there is already a ban in place. They’re lifting the ban that we’ve already got in place on beef coming from Paraguay," said Rounds. "I don’t want them to lift the ban until we have an independent commission take a look at it and confirm that Paraguay is doing what they're supposed to be doing to protect our consumers.”
Rounds has bipartisan support from Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester of Montana.
The senators previously paired up on legislation aimed to suspend beef imports from Paraguay calling on the U.S. Agriculture Department to collect up-to-date data on site locations.
The lawmakers said the USDA has not conducted a physical site visit in Paraguay since 2014.
Federal agriculture officials have not responded to a request for comment on the proposed legislation or resolution that challenges the health standards of beef imported from Paraguay.
