WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Cattlemen’s Beef Assoc. (NCBA) and the U.S. Cattlemen’s Assoc. (USCA) do not always agree on trade policy, in the past taking opposite views on issues such as Country of Origin Labeling.

But the two groups do agree the United States should not open its borders to fresh beef from Argentina’s Patagonia region.

Both cattle groups issued statements decrying the USDA’s Animal Health and Inspection Service (APHIS) Aug. 28 announcement that would add Patagonia to the APHIS list of regions considered free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). The United States was closed to fresh beef imports from Argentina after an FMD outbreak there in 2001.

Although Patagonia will be listed as FMD-free, the region will be subject to certain APHIS restrictions that are designed to reduce the risk of introducing FMD into the United States. "These restrictions ensure that there is no commingling of products from regions with a lesser animal health status," stated APHIS.

The U.S. cattle groups had the chance to formally comment on the APHIS decision – and they continue to question the agency’s science. "This plan to approve certain regions of Argentina for importation of fresh beef into the U.S. is full of risk and it’s short on science and transparency," said Jon Wooster, USCA president.

The APHIS statement, published in the Federal Register, responded to concerns about the scientific rigor of its analysis by pointing to an 11-part assessment process used to classify a region as FMD-free.

NCBA President Bob McCan said his group requested information unavailable from APHIS. "APHIS conducted their risk analysis based on a series of site visits to Argentina to determine the FMD risk status of these regions," he said. "NCBA’s repeated requests for written reports for these APHIS site visits to Argentina have gone unanswered.

"Finally, we were informed by APHIS that written reports are not required for APHIS site reviews." On that basis, McCan questioned the APHIS risk analysis process.

The APHIS announcement is based on an assessment coming in response to Argentina’s request for the United States to recognize Patagonia as FMD-free. In 2012, Argentina filed a trade case with the World Trade Organization claiming the ongoing U.S. restrictions on Argentine beef and other meats did not have a "scientific sanitary justification," according to the Foreign Agricultural Service.

Despite criticism from both cattle groups, APHIS defended its assessment methodology in a 30-page notice. The agency said charges of a lack of transparency failed to cite specific parts of its process deemed opaque by critics. It also clarified other parts of its methodology receiving unfavorable comments, including the strengths of its standard qualitative approach over a quantitative approach favored by some commenters.

The Argentine government closely regu-lates meat trade, requiring beef processors to supply certain amounts domestically before any exports may occur. However, there appears to be little room for increasing domestic beef consumption in Argentina, so beef processors there are eyeing overseas markets.

Argentina’s 2014 beef exports are projected at 220,000 metric tons, the highest since 2011, according to USDA. About half the country’s beef exports are boneless chilled cuts, mainly shipped to the European Union and Chile. The other half are exported frozen, mainly to Israel and the Russian Federation.

Some major Argentine beef producers also maintain Brazilian operations.

The NCBA is concerned about APHIS announcements regarding Argentina beyond the change in Patagonia’s FMD status.

"Our extreme concern is only further magnified by the associated proposed rule to allow chilled or frozen beef to be imported from the region of northern Argentina. Northern Argentina is a region that is not recognized as being free of Foot-and-Mouth Disease by APHIS," said McCan.

The public will have 60 days to comment on that APHIS proposal to allow importation of beef from the northern Argentina region outside of Patagonia. More details are available at the APHIS website, www.aphis.usda.gov