China authorizes the resumption of Brazilian beef imports

China on Thursday authorized the resumption of Brazilian beef imports, after a 10-day suspension in trade due to an atypical case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) detected in a cow in Mato Grosso state, according to Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply. The Brazilian government is now negotiating a new sanitary protocol with China. Brazilian beef exports to other countries have not been affected, Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement. The World Organization of Animal Health (OIE) determined no changes in Brazil's sanitary status of negligible risk for BSE, after evaluating the case earlier this month. China is one of Brazil's top beef importers, buying 322,415 metric tons of Brazilian beef in 2018, according to industry association Abiec. JBS S.A., Marfrig Global Foods S.A. and Minerva S.A. are Brazil's largest beef exporters to China. After news of the trade resumption, Minerva said on Thursday it was canceling a two-week furlough of 635 employees at its beef processing plant in Barretos, São Paulo state. The Barretos plant is Minerva's only Brazilian unit authorized to export to China.