Arrival of Uruguayan lamb meat celebrated by officials, business leaders at Port of Philadelphia

A group of business leaders and high-level government officials from Uruguay and the United States gathered today to mark the arrival of the first shipment of frozen, boneless lamb from Uruguay into America. The shipment, the first to arrive in the United States since 2001, was made possible due to a ruling by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) that allowed entrance of Uruguayan lamb meats into America.

The Ambassador of Uruguay to the United States, two Ministers from Uruguay -Foreign Affairs and Agriculture, the USDA Marketing and Regulatory Programs Under Secretary, representatives from the City of Philadelphia, as well as executives from Holt Logistics Corp, Philadelphia Regional Port Authority, the National Institute of Meat of Uruguay (INAC) and other importer/exporters gathered at the Union League in Philadelphia for a ceremony celebrating the arrival of the lamb product and acknowledging the work of all those who made this import possible. Officials marked the occasion with a presentation and reception to taste the high quality of the lamb meat. “The celebration is another milestone that demonstrates the dynamism of the relationship between Uruguay and the United States,” said Luis Almagro, Minister of Foreign Relations of Uruguay. “The presence of high-level national authorities of both countries marks the consolidation of commercial ties, the recognition of the health status and quality of Uruguayan products and the reliability of the technical services of both countries. The opening of the U.S. market for Uruguayan lamb meat is considered strategic given the high standards of requirements, the price level, high competition conditions and excellent prospects for the placement of other meat cuts in the future, generating opportunities for expanding Uruguayan exports but at the same time offering more product varieties for the consumer in the United States” “This historic arrival brings another quality, healthy and delicious product to the US market,” added Leo A. Holt, President of Holt Logistics. “We mark this occasion as a testament to the excellence of our partners in the Uruguayan produce industry, as well as the hard work of the USDA/APHIS regulators and their Customs and Border Protection counterparts. Special thanks must also be given to Ship Philly First President Fred Sorbello for his tireless advocacy in bringing new products through Philadelphia and, of course, the men and women of the Port of Philadelphia, who continue to ensure we are providing superior and efficient shipping and stevedoring services to our clients.” The first shipment to arrive in the United States was unloaded from the Hamburg Süd vessel M/V Limari at the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal in South Philadelphia on March 8, 2014. The shipment contained 11 tons (22,000 lbs) of lamb meat cuts, including frozen boneless lamb leg, loin eye and tenderloin “Nirea Premium Lamb,” from the Frigorifico San Jacinto Company. Uruguayan agricultural officials have been working with US regulators for several years to improve control over disease and ensure safe import of Uruguayan meats and produce. The ruling allowing for the import of Uruguayan boneless lamb meat was made effective in November 2013, at which time Uruguayan and US authorities worked to establish protocols and certificates necessary to comply with US regulations. Both countries have been working together since 2007 to re-open the US market for boneless lamb meat from Uruguay. The ruling was made following a scientific risk assessment performed by APHIS, which showed that chilled or frozen lamb meat could be safety imported to the United States from Uruguay, as long as it followed certain regulations established by APHIS. All lamb meat imported from Uruguay will be labeled, in accordance with the Country of Origin Labeling law. Additional regulations put into place by APHIS include: • The imported meat is only from animals that have been born, raised, and slaughtered in Uruguay. • The establishment in which the animals are slaughtered allows periodic on-site evaluation and subsequent inspection of its facilities, records, and operations by an APHIS representative. • All bone and visually identifiable blood clots and lymphoid tissue have been removed from the meat. • Meat must maturate at 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum of 36 hours after slaughter, and the meat must reach a pH level of 5.8 or less in the loin muscle at the end of the 36 hour period. If the pH level is too low, it may maturate for another 24 hours and be retested. If the meat has not reached a pH level of 5.8 or less after 60 hours of maturation, it cannot be shipped to the US. These regulations were put in place to ensure an appropriate level of protection against disease.