The director of Meat Industry Ireland (MII) has said that the US market “remains a priority” for its member businesses involved in sheep processing.
Last month it emerged that sheep processors in Ireland are yet to begin the process of seeking access to the US market, despite the market opening for Irish sheepmeat over a year ago.
In April of last year, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue announced that a veterinary health certificate had been agreed with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), paving the way for Irish sheepmeat to be exported to the US.
However, no sheep processor in the country has taken advantage of this as of yet.
In a statement to Agriland, MII said that it is continuing to engage with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine on the technical requirements to export sheepmeat to the US.
MII director Dale Crammond said: “I can assure all stakeholders that the US marketplace remains a priority for MII sheep processing members.
“I am in regular contact with officials in the department about the technical aspects for the US marketplace,” Crammond added.
Food business operators must submit a site-specific, time-bound work programme to the department, demonstrating how they will achieve compliance with US standards.
Responding to parliamentary questions from Fine Gael Mayo TD Michael Ring last month, Minister McConalogue said: “Once a sheepmeat plant successfully completes the USDA approval process, my department will notify the Food Safety Inspection Service of the USDA that the plant can be registered to export sheepmeat to the US.
“At present, no sheepmeat plants have submitted a documented work programme,” the minister added.
He said that the department was engaging with “interested plants” in assessing how they can comply with the requirements for this trade.
Due to the fact that no sheep processor has sought approval to export to the US, Ireland has not exported any sheepmeat to the US since the agreement with the USDA last year, the minister confirmed.
“While the role of my department is to open up international markets in consultation with stakeholders, it is up to industry – with the support of my department and Bord Bia’s marketing expertise – to capitalise on the resulting opportunities for trade,” Minister McConalogue said.