Veal group says USDA not holding Dutch to same antibiotic standards

The USDA is not holding veal imports from the Netherlands to the same standards as U.S. veal producers when it comes to antibiotic use and pathogen testing, the American Veal Association (AVA) asserts.  “The AVA is concerned the agency has failed to fully assess the Netherlands’ inspection and production system for veal in making its determination that the Dutch system is equivalent to the U.S. system, which is what the law requires before the agency may approve importation of meat or poultry,” the association said in a statement, noting news reports from the Netherlands that the first shipment of Dutch veal to the United States was made Sept. 23.