USDA issues Class I recall of nearly 30,000 pounds of Argentine beef sold in Texas and Florida

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced a recall of roughly 30,000 pounds of raw beef imported from Argentina and distributed in Texas and Florida. The recall was triggered by missed import re-inspections, and the agency assigned the product a Class I health-hazard designation, its highest risk category, although no specific contaminant was identified.

"It’s not like a paperwork thing; you know someone made the decision. This does not have to be reinspected at the border," said Dr. Darin Detwiler, a food-safety advocate and professor, referring to the classification.

Detwiler noted that the lack of a stated contaminant makes the Class I rating unusual and suggested the issue may extend beyond routine paperwork. The distributor of the beef did not respond to requests for comment, and retailers that sold the product were not immediately identified.

The recall occurs as the administration announced a plan to permit up to 300,000 pounds of foreign beef to be sold at reduced prices within 90 days, a proposal that has drawn criticism from some political figures. Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico described the policy as a “political stunt” that could disadvantage Texas cattle producers. No comment was received from the Republican Senate candidate’s campaign.

Online discussion about the recall and the broader import policy has been active, according to Detwiler, reflecting public uncertainty about the safety and regulatory oversight of foreign beef imports.