Status of country BSE food safety risk assessments

​​The Australian Government's BSE food safety policy 2009 requires that all countries exporting or seeking to export beef or beef products to Australia have a food safety risk assessment undertaken by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). ​

The FSANZ risk assessment includes a desk assessment and an in-country verification assessment. It examines the effectiveness of BSE-related controls throughout the beef production chain in the applicant country including animal feeding practices, transportation, animal identification and traceability, slaughtering, and food safety and food recall systems. ​

Countries categorised as either Category 1 or 2 are eligible to export beef and beef products to Australia subject to the relevant certification requirements. ​

Category 1 status means there are comprehensive and well-established controls to prevent both the introduction and amplification of the BSE agent in a country's cattle population, and contamination of the human food supply with the BSE agent.​

Category 2 status means that countries have effectively implemented and complied with appropriate BSE controls to prevent both the introduction and amplification of the BSE agent in a country's cattle population, and contamination of the human food supply with the BSE agent.​