   
  
G/SPS/GEN/1801  
 
2 July 2020 
(20-4583) Page: 1/1 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 
CODEX MAXIMUM RESIDU E LIMITS AND RISK MA NAGEMENT RECOMMENDAT IONS FOR 
RESIDUES OF VETERINA RY DRUGS IN FOODS (C X/MRL 2 -2018)  
SUBMISSION  BY THE UNITED STATES  
The following document , received on 26 June 2020, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of the United Sta tes. 
 
_______________  
 
 
1.1.  The United States takes the floor to recall the work of the Codex Committee on Residues of 
Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF) to establish maximum residue levels (MRLs) for ractopamine 
based on the scientific review of the Joint WHO/FAO Committee on Food A dditives (JECFA).  
1.2.  Codex based its 2012 decision on JECFA's science -based review and after a decision taken up 
by its membership to establish MRLs for ractopamine. We applaud the many Members that have 
adopted these MRLs.  
1.3.  Use of ractopamine enables product ivity gains while reducing pressures on the amount of land, 
feed, and water needed for swine and cattle production. Indeed, tools like ractopamine support 
enhanced availability of safe, nutritious food at affordable prices.  
1.4.  Although Codex established MRLs  for ractopamine eight years ago, US producers continue to 
encounter bans in major global markets.  
1.5.  Recent a nalysis by the Center for Agricultural Trade at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State 
University (Virginia Tech) estimated that  restrictions on t he use of ractopamine worldwide reduc ed 
pork export s by nearly 8 5%.  
1.6.  Virginia Tech estimated that  the ad valorem equivalent (AVE) of th ese bans is equivalent to an 
88.9% tariff. Th is AVE tariff is four times higher than the average applied tariff rate of 22.6% on 
global pork trade.  
1.7.  Many of us have experienced challenges in helping our policy makers understand the 
importance of the technical work conducted in this Committee. For example, we have discussed 
ractopamine bans as a specific trade concern for many  years in this room.  
1.8.  The Virginia Tech analysis follows best practices in its use of gravity modelling. While all 
econometric modelling rests on certain assumptions, the use of gravity modelling to detect trade 
barriers associated with specific trade conc erns is highly appropriate.  
1.9.  The results provide a new way to understand the extent of trade distortion imposed by specific 
measures, such as the non -use of Codex MRLs.  
__________  