MAD COW DISEASE - JAPAN TRADE

Japan To Finish Audit Of US Beef Plants By July 21 Japan is expected to wrap up its audit of U.S. beef producing plants by July 21, paving the way for a resumption of U.S. exports to Japan, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday. The USDA, in a prepared statement, said teams of Japanese auditors "will arrive in the U.S. this weekend and conclude their work by July 21. Upon completion of the audits, Japan has agreed to expeditiously resume beef trade." U.S. and Japanese negotiators reached an agreement early Wednesday morning EDT that bridged several disagreements between the two countries on how beef trade would resume. That agreement is expected to be implemented soon after the audits are completed. USDA Secretary Mike Johanns said later Wednesday that he is pleased with the deal reached by negotiators, but stressed he will "not be satisfied until U.S. beef is once again accepted into the Japanese market." U.S. and Japanese negotiators met for eight hours in two video conference sessions Tuesday and into the morning Wednesday to resolve their differences. One sticky issue was U.S. demands that Japan provide assurances that it won't allow future non-compliance issues with individual shipments to disrupt all beef trade. Johanns said he believes that was accomplished....
NCBA Statement On Japan’s Commitment to Resume Trade of U.S. Beef “America’s cattlemen appreciate the work by Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and top officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture for their continued focus on U.S.-Japan trade discussions. But after years of empty promises and continued delays, U.S. beef producers remain skeptical of Japan’s dependability as a trading partner. “As we proceed with implementing steps toward trade resumption, NCBA will continue to insist on science-based standards. Under this current agreement, there remains no language to provide for the export of bone-in product or for beef from animals between 20 and 30 months of age. “The United States meets or exceeds all guidelines established by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) to freely export beef and beef products from cattle aged 30 months and less. Japan’s requirement of boneless beef from cattle aged 20 months and less is an artificial and unscientific barrier to trade. “While we are hopeful these issues can be worked out over time, we know from experience that Japan has become an unreliable trading partner. Our cattlemen have paid a tremendous price for the continued delays by Japanese officials to resume beef trade based on scientifically-recognized principles....
Conrad/Roberts Bill Imposes Tariffs on Japanese Products Unless Date is Set U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, a senior member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) today introduced legislation to impose tariffs on Japanese products if a date is not set to reopen the Japanese market to U.S. beef. “Today’s announcement that the Japanese intend to open their markets to U.S. beef is a step forward, but Japan must make good on its commitment. Until there is a specific date for actual trade to resume, and product is at port in Japan, it's not a done deal." Senator Roberts said. “We have been through this before and need to demonstrate to the Japanese that U.S. beef is safe.” At issue is the continued delay by the Japanese Food Safety Commission in resuming normal beef trade, based on internationally recognized science, after the discovery in January of spinal cord material in a single shipment of U.S. beef. The legislation, introduced by Roberts and Conrad with wide bipartisan support, sets deadlines by which the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) must certify that Japan has reopened its borders to American beef. According to the bill, USTR must provide this certification or lack thereof to Congress by August 31, 2006....