Countries with history of BSE-infected cows wanting to export beef to Australia will have to prove that they have a sufficient traceability system, which will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Biosecurity Australia has just announced that it had begun the Import Risk Analysis (IRA) process for the United States, Canada and Japan, which have all applied to export beef to Australia.

The IRA was commissioned by Federal Agriculture Minister, Tony Burke, following public uproar with regard to the government's decision to lift a ban on beef coming from countries with BSE-infected cows, BSE is more commonly known as mad cow disease.

Dr Colin Grant, chief executive of Biosecurity Australia said other countries will not require a traceability system like Australia's National Livestock Identification System, because that's uniquely Australian.

We need to be able to identify that beef produced for export is free of BSE, it is able to be assessed in terms of its other disease risks and that we are able to see that that system of management provides for that assurance.

Australia Japan Canada