rising prices of beef in the internal market (26% since the beginning of that year), the Argentine government banned beef exports for 180 days (with the exception of prearranged shipments and the Hilton quota). On 26 May, the ban was replaced by a quota, to be in force between June and November, equivalent to 40% of the amount of beef exported in the same period of 2005. These measures met harsh criticism from livestock farmers, the meat processing industry, and the export sector; some analysts have said that it will be useless in the long term and harm Argentina's international image, besides causing large monetary losses. Other analysts have said it is the only adequate measure that deals with inflation and that the industry is the only one in Argentina profitable enough to sustain such a policy. In May 2021, the government decided to ban beef export for a month except for the Hilton Quota. Prices of meat in Argentina increased faster than the inflation in recent years and the government would like to limit inflation as well as increasing supply for the domestic market. From June on, it then slightly opened up the market again to Chile, Colombia or Israel but kept restrictions for the rest of 2021. Foot-and-mouth disease crisis Argentina's cattle industry had become a key growth driver in the economy, with Argentina ranking fourth in cow meat exports. Thus, it was crushing news when new cases of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) were found in 2001, for the first time in 60 years. Although FMD is usually harmless to people, the virus is easily spread between animals, making the slaughter of sick animals necessary. Argentine beef was banned by more than 60 countries, including the United States and Canada. After an aggressive vaccination programme, the Office International des Epizooties said in 2003 that Argentina had regained "foot-and-mouth free with vaccination" status. A few years later, new cases of FMD were discovered in a herd of cattle in a northern province of Argentina. As a result, Chile banned the import of Argentine meat. Labelling Food safety or quality labels are rarely used in Argentina, and a major initiative has been called for on this issue. There is no label certified by the government. The unsatisfactory situation concerning food safety becomes immediately clear by looking at the fact that the Argentine National Inspection Services audited and approved only 35 slaughterhouses