The central government on Aug. 25 lifted a ban on shipment of beef cattle from Fukushima, Iwate and Tochigi prefectures.
The central government on Aug. 25 lifted a ban on shipment of beef cattle from Fukushima, Iwate and Tochigi prefectures.
The reason given for the suspension of the ban was that a structure had been established to better manage rice straw fed to cattle as well as inspecting cattle for radiation contamination.
The decision means there are no longer any bans on the shipment of beef cattle. The ban was implemented after beef was found contaminated with radioactive cesium at levels above the government standard.
The government had considered lifting the ban on Fukushima cattle on Aug. 19, but that decision was delayed because officials could not pinpoint the reason some beef was found contaminated with radiation.
The lifting of the ban on Fukushima cattle comes about five weeks after the July 19 decision to ban cattle shipments.
According to officials of the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, cattle from Fukushima, Iwate and Tochigi prefectures will be sent to slaughterhouses for processing from Aug. 29, and that only beef confirmed to be safe would be allowed to enter the distribution chain.
Further studies determined that the radiation contamination of Fukushima cattle was due to dried grass used for feed left in a cattle shed without walls. Radioactive materials are believed to have fallen on the grass and contaminated it.
Government officials determined that the Fukushima Prefecture plan to thoroughly manage cattle feed would prevent a recurrence of contamination.
The plans of the three prefectures for better management of feed and inspecting of cattle for radiation contamination are similar to the one submitted by Miyagi Prefecture. The ban on shipment of Miyagi cattle was lifted on Aug. 19.
Ranchers who used rice straw contaminated by radiation as feed will have to test all cattle shipped out. The beef will be allowed to be traded only if the level of radiation is below the government standard of 500 becquerels of radioactive cesium per kilogram.
For all other ranchers, at least one animal will have to be tested when they first resume shipment. If the beef is found to have less than 50 becquerels of cesium, which represents one-tenth the government standard, all other cattle from that ranch can be shipped out without inspection for three months.