Beef imports from BSE nations not traced

Beef imported to Australia from countries where there has been an outbreak of mad cow disease will not be traced back to individual farms, a Senate inquiry has been told.

Yet beef farms in Australia are subject to full traceability through the National Livestock Identification System.

The double standard drew the ire of coalition senators during a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra on Monday.

"How on earth ... can we be sure about the beef that's coming from that (overseas) property?" Nationals senator Fiona Nash asked the chief veterinary officer from the government's Biosecurity Service Group.

Asked whether there would be individual assessments of traceability, Dr Andy Carroll replied: "No."

Traceability will be determined on a country-to-country basis, and administered through Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FANZ).

Head of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Conall O'Connell said "robust" measures would be in place from an animal and human health perspectives.

That prompted Senator Nash to say under her breath but clearly audible through her microphone: "What a load of rubbish."

Liberal senator Chris Back said the changes placed high-level importance on the competence of (FANZ) officers in the countries of origin.

However, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) managing director David Palmer says relaxing the import restrictions is about providing trade consistency.

If a BSE-affected country has satisfied a whole range of measures and has moved to a category that has allowed trade to recommence, then serious consideration should be given to allowing that country's beef into Australia, he said.

Mr Palmer said if Australia had been one of the countries impacted by BSE (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy) seven years ago and was shut out from America's market, "our industry would be going ballistic by now".

While he said nothing was of zero risk, it must be assumed that the officers working to protect Australia from BSE were competently working in the nation's best interests.

Beef imports from nations that have had BSE will be allowed into Australia from March 1, under the proviso their beef passes human health regulations to be administered by Food Standards Australia New Zealand.