The Argentine government said said the recall of beef by the United States “does not involve an issue of food safety, contamination or product quality,” but rather resulted from an administrative failure by the importer. File Photo by Juan Ignacio Roncoroni/EPA
Aug. 13 (UPI) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the recall of nearly 13.4 metric tons of Argentine beef distributed in Texas and Florida because the products entered the marketplace before a mandatory import reinspection report was completed.
The issue did not result in penalties against the Argentine meatpacking plant that supplied the beef or affect Argentine beef exports to the United States, which continue as usual.
In a statement posted on X Thursday by Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, the Argentine government said the recall “does not involve an issue of food safety, contamination or product quality” but rather resulted from an administrative failure by the importer.
On Tuesday, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said Florida-based Corte Argentino USA LLC recalled 29,628 pounds of beef imported from Argentine meatpacker Gorina. The amount was equivalent to less than one shipping container.
The products had been distributed to distributors, wholesalers and retailers before completing all required import inspections, Argentine newspaper La Nación reported.
The Argentine government said the importing company issued a letter explaining the circumstances behind the incident and acknowledged that it resulted from an administrative error in the United States. The government said the issue was unrelated to the exporting facility or Argentina’s food safety and sanitary control system.
The letter was shared with the Meat Import Council of America to inform its members and clarify the circumstances surrounding the recall.
President Javier Milei’s government said Argentine beef exports to the United States continue normally.
The recall comes amid a sharp increase in Argentine beef exports to the United States. Argentina shipped 55,506 metric tons valued at $448 million from January through June 2026, an increase of 185% in volume and 243% in value compared with the same period in 2025, Argentine newspaper Clarín reported.
Argentina has a quota allowing it to export 100,000 metric tons of beef to the United States at a reduced tariff of $44 per metric ton. The original quota was 20,000 metric tons but was expanded following a decision by President Donald Trump.
The agreement with the United States has significantly boosted Argentine beef exports to the U.S. market, which has become Argentina’s second-largest buyer of the product, La Nación reported.
