Japan bans American beef

[cowman]

Apparently Japan has banned American beef because they found some SRMs in a load of US beef. What is with that? Don't you think the USDA and American packers would be fairly vigilant that their product was squeaky clean?
Hope our inspectors are making sure we aren't shipping sub standard product to Japan.

[farmers_son]

As I read the news items, the U.S. beef may have contained some backbone which in North America would not be considered SRMs in an animal that young. However the agreement with Japan apparently was no backbone.

It will be interesting to see what happens. I am reminded of the heavy handed approach the USDA is taking with our UTM live cattle imports and their insistence that Canada meet the absolute, most stringent interpretation of the USDA rule, especially regarding heifers.

This really highlights why science has to rule the day and why basing trade on consumerism is nothing less than giving in to protectionism. The rules with imports of Canadian live cattle to the U.S., especially in regards to pregnant heifers and for that matter over 30 month animals too, are not science based. If Japan plays the same game with the U.S. maybe that is what it takes to have the U.S. see the downside of using BSE to protect domestic markets.

Everyone can play the protectionism game and since it appears the U.S tends to forget they have BSE too this might be just what it takes to jog their memory.

[blackjack]

...i guess we will find out how much our japanese market is tied to the usa...

[magpie]

TOKYO, Jan 20, 2006 (The Canadian Press via COMTEX) -- Just 5 1/2 weeks after lifting its ban on U.S. beef, Japan slammed the door shut again Friday, saying a recent shipment contained material it considered at risk for mad cow disease.

"This is a pity given that imports had just resumed," Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters. "I received the agriculture minister's report over the telephone with his recommendation that the imports be halted and I think it is a good idea."

When asked by a reporter if this meant that all imports of U.S. beef would be stopped, Koizumi answered: "Yes."

The Japanese government plans to halt the imports until it receives a report from the U.S. government on how the risky material got into the shipment, an Agriculture Ministry statement said.

The statement said ministry inspectors found material from cattle backbone in three out of 41 boxes in a 389-kilogram shipment of beef from Atlantic Veal & Lamb Inc. All of the beef in the shipment was destroyed, the statement said.

In Washington, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said the U.S. government is investigating the shipment and investigators are being dispatched to Japan.

He also said the plant that exported the meat in question is now barred from shipping more beef to Japan and the government inspector who cleared the shipment may be disciplined.

Extra inspectors were also being sent to every plant that exports meat to Japan and unannounced inspections have been ordered, Johanns said.

"We take this matter very seriously," the secretary said in a statement. "We are in communication with Japanese officials and we will continue that dialogue to assure them that we take this matter very seriously and we are acting swiftly and firmly."

Mad cow disease is the common name for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, a degenerative nerve disease in cattle that is linked to a rare but fatal nerve disorder in humans, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.

Japan, the most lucrative overseas market for U.S. beef, originally had imposed the ban in December 2003 after the discovery of the first case of mad cow disease in the United States.

Less than six weeks ago, on Dec. 12, 2005, it agreed to allow a resumption of imports, but only from cows aged 20 months or younger, which are believed unlikely to have the disease. The deal also excluded spines, brains, bone marrow and other parts of cattle thought to be at particularly high risk of containing the disease.

Before the ban that ended last December, the Japanese market for American beef was worth some $1.4 billion in 2003.

After the ban was lifted, U.S. beef began making a limited return to local supermarket shelves and restaurant menus. However, most major supermarket chains have been taking a wait-see approach.

Furthermore, Japanese consumers - who have been particularly sensitive to safety concerns - still seem to be wary of American beef.

A Kyodo News survey last month showed about 75 per cent of Japanese are unwilling to eat U.S. beef because of mad cow fears, compared with 21 per cent saying they would consume it.

The import statistics seem to reflect this caution. Japan imported a total of 745 tonnes of beef from the U.S. in the first month after the ban was partially lifted, less than four per cent of what it imported before the ban, Kyodo said last week.

American beef producers had been predicting it will take at least three years to reach the shipment levels seen before the 2003 import ban.

U.S. lawmakers have been pressing Japan to allow beef from cattle that has been slaughtered at up to 30 months of age, as called for under international animal health guidelines.

But Japanese Agriculture Minister Shoichi Nakagawa rejected those demands Wednesday, saying Japan could not accept such a change to the terms of the agreement.

The latest announcement came as a jarring setback for the U.S. meat industry, coming just as U.S. officials were talking optimistically of selling more beef in Asia despite some lingering import restrictions.

The U.S. Agriculture Department had announced Thursday that Singapore had officially ended a ban on American beef, following Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea, all of which had reopened their markets in the last six weeks.

Singapore is allowing only boneless beef shipments and still will prohibit ribs and other bone-in products. Likewise, South Korea and Hong Kong are accepting only boneless cuts of beef from animals 30 months and younger.

The restrictions remain because officials fear that marrow and other bone tissues might be dangerous, although international guidelines say those tissues can be traded safely.

[magpie]

The above article just shows how fast the door can be closed . In regards to the producers that are sitting on the fence waiting and haven’t put their support behind ranchers choice this should be a wake up call. We should not pass up this opportunity , we need this type of infrastructure to become a reality . This should also be a reality check on our inspectors as well.

[greybeard]

I heard the manager from Ranchers Choice on Yorkton radio on Wednesday. He said they had 3500 producers signed up. That is about 1/3 of Manitoba cattle producers. They have $2 million committed, but need a total of $6 million to get the banks to lend them the rest. Does that mean they need every producer in Manitoba to commit in order to get going?
Signing up 3500 is no small feat. That should be enough support. They didn’t ask for enough money.

[Willowcreek]

Today 1/20/2006 12:44:00 PM


Beef Backbone Processor Identified As Atlantic Veal & Lamb



DES MOINES, Iowa (Dow Jones)--A closely held Brooklyn, N.Y., meat processor, Atlantic Veal & Lamb, said Friday it included veal backbone material in a beef shipment to Japan because of a "misinterpretation" of export requirements.



The company's president, Philip Peerless, called the incident "an honest mistake."



"We sincerely regret that we shipped product not approved for export to Japan," he said in a statement, insisting that the item was safe "and is widely consumed" in the U.S.



"We regret that there was a misinterpretation of the export requirements and an honest mistake," his statement said.



The shipment is believed the company's first since Japan lifted its ban on U.S. beef imports several weeks ago.



"Were this product shipped to San Francisco, there would be no question about its safety. But because we shipped it to Japan, and because it contained bones that are not accepted by the Japanese, we have now been prohibited from exporting to Japan," Peerless was quoted as saying.



He said the material in question probably came from an animal less than 4-1/2 months old. The statement added:



"It is important to note that Atlantic Veal produces veal derived from very young animals - animals that have never tested positive for BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad-cow disease, which in a related form can be fatal to humans).

[blackjack]

...hey willowcreek...it is interesting as f_s mentioned...when those that are protectionist will find any excuse to shut another country out...

[grassfarmer]

Honest mistake or not passing post BSE export requirements is a tough task. Britain has had problems with imported beef from various European countries containing lengths of banned spinal chord. It is not always easy to be 100% sure you get it all given throughputs in slaughter plants - and speeds that are vastly faster in N. America than in Europe. We should be careful, this could happen to Canada too unless the job is done correctly 100% of the time.

[Willowcreek]

blackjack posted Jan 20, 2006 12:27
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...hey willowcreek...it is interesting as f_s mentioned...when those that are protectionist will find any excuse to shut another country out...
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We're kind of used to it- we've had to deal with the protectionist rules Canada used to keep cattle out for 10 years...Canadian cattle could go south unrestricted-BUT all US cattle were diseased and restricted...

And then after your teats got caught in the wringer Canadians had the gall to call it a North American herd..LOL

[blackjack]

...willowcreek...do two govt wrongs make a right...but on a individual level you are right it was not until we had our a$$es stuck to the wall... what would you have done if you were in the cow-calf man's position up here when our govt and yours signed trade agreements that would dictate expansion in our herd ...on a side note the closer our dollar gets to level par to yours we will see montana cattle heading north...

...it has been a interesting ride to say the least...to let you in on a little secret...the part of the canadian producers that did alot of the initial squealing are the same ones that have made the most profit off cattle other than the packers in the past 18 months(some were even owned by your fellow producers)...you could probably imagine which producers took the hardest hit...
...why is it those that squeal the most usually get the grease...

[cowman]

Willowcreek: I assume you are talking about blue tongue and the other disease? Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought a simple test got US cattle in? If not how did all those purebred US bulls and heifers get up here to our shows and sales? I don't know if that was a problem or not? I think all our Canadian stock heading south needs a bangs test...and yet we don't have Bangs?
I believe Montana had restrictions in place to limit animals coming in for both these diseases also? So might be the kettle calling the pot black?
I am sorry this latest Japanese incident happened. It must be very frustrating for you American cattlemen to have some gong show at a packing house destroy all the effort you put into getting that border open? Hopefully the US government will act promptly to get this cleared up and hopefully the Japanese will not play a bunch of games.

[farmers_son]

Cowman: Well said.

[Willowcreek]

cowman: Willowcreek: I assume you are talking about blue tongue and the other disease? Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought a simple test got US cattle in? If not how did all those purebred US bulls and heifers get up here to our shows and sales? I don't know if that was a problem or not? I think all our Canadian stock heading south needs a bangs test...and yet we don't have Bangs?
I believe Montana had restrictions in place to limit animals coming in for both these diseases also? So might be the kettle calling the pot black?"
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A $30 test and a 30 day quarantine to get across the border was required since ALL US cattle were diseased- even those running side by side with the Canadian cattle...

As of now the only cattle coming into Montana with a block restriction are those directly from Mexico (mostly rodeo stock)-- otherwise its a state by state shipping restriction- even the Mexican cattle have differing restrictions depending on what state they come from--But Canada in their ignorance (or protectionalism) for 10 years said ALL US CATTLE ARE DISEASED...

Do you see now why some down here think we should wait 10 years before we consider opening the border to the Canadian herd?

As far as I know Canada still hasn't worked out an agreement to equalize the border crossing- that was the main reason NCBA was still opposing the opening to OTM's..Since you're on that side check it out and see if their has been any movement...

And the NORTH AMERICAN HERD concept that came up in desperation did give all the locals the best laugh they've had yet.......

[cowman]

Well Willowcreek you very well may have a valid complaint? Actually the boys over at the department of agriculture don't ask me my opinion very often(as in never)!
Thank you for informing us about the fee and quarantine...I certainly didn't know...thought it was a $5 test one day thing. I wonder if some of the people selling Canadian cattle to the US could give us some numbers on costs to ship to the US? One number floating around is $100 but not sure about that?
Willowcreek, no one said this system was perfect? But we are getting this garbage sorted out and you should realize, in the big picture, it is a lot better if we can work together as North American cattlemen than as hostile neighbors? I assume you get along with your neighbors?
If there have been historical injustices...they can be worked out? On both sides?
Whether you like it or not...whether I like it or not...thats just how it is and neither of us can change it? Well unless you are a fishing buddy of George or something? Or maybe I am a fishing buddy of Paul? Oops sorry Stephen! Cheer up we are about to elect someone who will be American friendly instead of someone who thinks you are all a bunch of SOBS!