DA scores US, Canada for meddling with meat standards

MANILA, Philippines - Agriculture Assistant Secretary Dr. Davinio Catbagan has scored the United States and Canada for meddling with the meat standards in the Philippines.

The US and Canadian governments have been appealing to the Department of Agriculture not to implement Administrative Order 22 which outlines the rules and regulations in the handling of frozen and chilled meat products in the meat markets.

In an interview, Catbagan criticized the US and Canada’s insistence that the Philippines adapt their standards even in the traditional local wet markets.

 “What we are saying is that our traditional system works and that they should not meddle with that,” he said.

AO 22 is set to be signed by Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala following consultations with affected sectors.

However, one sector to be adversely affected by the approval of AO 22 is the Meat Importers and Traders Association (MITA) which has been   urging the DA to adopt only one standard for meat that will be accepted and recognized globally.

MITA argued that “the introduction of new definitions for ‘freshly slaughtered’, ‘warm’, ‘chilled’ and ‘thawed’ meat, only complicates matters and raises new questions.”

MITA argued that AO 22 “would ignore the fact that the previous administrations have been remiss in building the proper slaughterhouses and fabrication plants that conform to OIE and Codex standards and recommendations.”

However, the DA is set to construct an initial two triple A slaughterhouses which would encourage production of export quality meat products.

The DA is issuing AO 22 following the proliferation of imported meats in the country’s wet markets. Traditionally, only freshly slaughtered meats are sold in local wet markets.

Imported meats are supposed to be sold only in supermarkets and are supposed to be kept refrigerated.

Unfortunately, such products have been finding their way to the local wet markets, causing concern that the thawed frozen meats pose a health threat to consumers.