U.S. Beef Battle Ends with Taiwan

Jul 30, 2012

Taiwanese Government Lifts Ban on U.S. Beef Imports

The Taiwanese government lifted its six year ban over U.S .beef imports. The Taiwanese legislature passed a bill to lift the ban on U.S. beef. The ban was originally implemented in December 2003 with the mad cow scare and in 2009 the Taiwanese government partially removed the ban allowing cattle over 30 months of age. There have also been concerns that US beef contained ractopamine, a feed additive that’s designed to enhance meat leanness. Taiwan rejects all meat imports with traces of ractopamine. Other countries including China and the European Union also reject the additive.

During this six year period, US beef exports went from 10% to under 4% of Taiwan’s total beef imports. According to the U.S. Meat Export Federation, Taiwan is the sixth largest export country for U.S. beef. There was some opposition in Taiwan from the Democratic Party that protested the bill.

Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.