May 15 – The critical elements in the export of meats to the United States have been resolved, announced the American authorities to the Italian Ministry of Health, confirming that the Italian quality control system is equivalent to the American on. This is good news for made in Italy and in particular for one of the most beloved and excellent delicacies: Parma ham. For the delicious Italian excellence, there are now new opportunities for exports to the US. The American Food Safety and Inspection Service – explains the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma in a note – had decided to sample all meat products consignments coming from Italian establishments to the US customs, basically a total re-inspection. This requirement, alongside the prohibition of registering ex-novo establishments in the list of plants authorized to export to the US, was a pending precautionary measure until the conclusion of the evaluation process of the official controls system implemented in our country. “This is an important goal that comes after two years of close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, our Embassy in Washington, and the local and regional Veterinary Services, whom we thank for their crucial support in the resolution of the matter,” commented Stefano Fanti, Director of the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma. “These have been years of hard work – he added – that caused many hardships for our producers. Today, they see their efforts finally paid off and they can now enter a very important but equally difficult market. This success has to be shared with all those who are engaged each day in ensuring that Parma ham meet all the safety and traceability requirements that are essential for worldwide exports.” Parma ham is an undisputed market leader in the United States: of all the Italian cold cuts exported to the United States, it has a share of 66%. (Red)
