Fortune Favours the Sane Cows
It seems like a lifetime ago, but also seems like yesterday. At least 178 people died after contracting the human form of mad cow disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE) and more than 4 million head of cattle in the UK were slaughtered to control the outbreak in the 1990’s.
While the public health crisis is long over, the trade effects of mad cow disease linger.
Australia is BSE-free and government surveillance programs monitor consistently to confirm our status. In turn, the attractiveness of Australian beef on export markets is highly reliant on the surveillance programs.
Brazil has had to temporarily suspend beef exports to China due to a case of BSE. There was also a case in Brazil in 2021.
What does this mean for Australia?
If the case is dealt with quickly, and proves to be a “one-off” then maybe not much. However if further cases are found, or China loses confidence in Brazilian beef, then there may be opportunities for Australia. China is the largest importer of beef in the world, most of it supplied by Brazil. There is no doubt that Australian producers would be keen to expand their export to China if given the chance.
With domestic cattle prices currently falling and supply increasing due to drying conditions, a boost to the market via export opportunities would be welcomed by the cattle sector. Let’s keep our cattle sane, our surveillance programs robust and hope our trade ambassadors work some magic.
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