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Technical requirements have been finalised by the Japanese government, which will allow US sheepmeat and goatmeat to be imported to the country.
US secretary of agriculture Sonny Perdue said: “This success is a direct result of USDA’s dedication to helping America’s farmers and ranchers keep and find new markets for their products.
“The United States has a reputation for high-quality agricultural products and this administration is committed to helping US producers prosper and share these products with the world.”
This announcement comes following work by USDA technical staff with Japanese authorities to establish new terms for market access that are science-based and consistent with international public and animal health standards.
These terms will allow US exports of sheep and goat meat to resume. Last year, Japan imported $169m in sheep and goat meat, primarily from Australia and New Zealand.
Irish angle
In October of last year, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said that Irish sheepmeat cannot gain access to the Japanese market without electronic tagging.
Minister Creed said the Japanese would prefer to import from countries had electronic tagging in place for sheep.
The Japanese only consume 1kg/capita of sheepmeat, with pork and chicken the most popular types of meat in the country.
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