Hong Kong to Update Raw Meat Import Protocol

Hong Kong soon will put in place a new import protocol for raw meat and poultry that will affect U.S. slaughtering, cutting, processing and cold storage facilities exporting to the region, USDA said in a report this month. Beginning Feb. 14, Hong Kong will transition from a “systems-based” approach to recognizing foreign meat and poultry establishments to an “establishment or plant-based” registration system, meaning U.S. facilities will need to register with the Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety (CFS) before exporting. USDA said those U.S. facilities should review the CFS list of establishments “to verify all company information is current and accurate.”