Institutions such as the World Organisation on Animal Health (Woah) must strengthen their determinations on products from different markets, or institutional alternatives may have to be considered.This is according to Roberto Perosa, president of the Brazilian Beef Exporters’ Association, speaking at the Association for Brazilian Animal Protein’s International Animal Protein Trade Show in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Wednesday.Speaking about the health standards for traded animal products, managed by Woah in the fight against animal disease outbreaks, Perosa took issue with countries rejecting animal products from exporting markets for health reasons, despite them being classified disease-free without vaccination.“I am talking about concerns that markets reject products, claiming to stand with Woah, but the findings of these countries are not science-based,” he said.Brazil has been battling bans on the importation of its beef products by markets such as the EU, China and Chile since at least 2017. Last year, Woah officially recognised Brazilian beef as free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination.When asked if this meant that Woah must be done away with and replaced, Perosa said he believed that any system or institution established to set animal health standards needed to be given the authority to make definitive determinations that must be adhered to by all signatory states.“The Woah president, Dr Susana Pombo, is my friend. I am not unhappy with Woah. It’s just that signatories that do not respect the decisions taken by Woah present a challenge for exporters of animal products in Brazil and other markets,” said Perosa.When asked if an animal health organisation aligned with Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and other emerging economies in the Global South) would be an idea that he would entertain, he said such an idea would have merit if the standards were roundly enforceable.“A new formation connected to new blocs and alliances like Brics may be needed to moderate talks and set standards that are enforceable,” he said.He said Brazil was keen to expand export opportunities to South Africa, as it already sends beef offal there.Magubane was invited to the conference by the Association for Brazilian Animal ProteinTimesLIVE