WASHINGTON — Following an announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to lift the long-standing ban on fresh beef from Paraguay, the United States Senate passed a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval by a vote of 70 to 25 in an effort to overturn the Biden administration’s rule. For 25 years, the United States has blocked the importation of fresh beef from Paraguay as a result of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) determining foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is prevalent within the country.
After the Senate passed the CRA resolution of disapproval, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement:
“Resuming beef imports from Paraguay could reintroduce foot-and-mouth disease, which our producers have worked hard to eliminate. This would be devastating. We should be protecting our ranchers and their livestock, not putting them more at risk,” said Senator Cramer. “This resolution passing with bipartisan support illustrates how out of touch the Biden administration is.”
The resolution, introduced by U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Mike Rounds (R-SD), is cosponsored by Senator Cramer and supported by several organizations including the National Cattleman’s Beef Association, U.S. Cattleman’s Association, Livestock Marketing Association, R-CALF USA, National Farmers Union, and American Farm Bureau Federation.