Americas | UPDATE 1-Canada set to announce new mad cow safeguardsCanada plans...
Americas
UPDATE 1-Canada set to announce new mad cow safeguards
Canada plans to announce within a few days new safeguards against mad cow disease, hoping it will prompt the United States and Japan to ease their bans on Canadian cattle and beef, sources told Reuters on Wednesday.
WORLD: WTO talks chairman gloomy about Cancun summit prospects
The chairperson of the World Trade Organization's agricultural talks has warned that productive bilateral discussions behind the scenes will be required for the oncoming WTO summit in Cancun, Mexico, to have any chance of striking a ‘modalities' deal setting the overall goals for the negotiations.
Mad Cow Frustration Has Alberta Feedlot Owners Threatening to Shoot Cattle
Alberta's beef industry is getting so desperate that some feedlot owners say the only solution to the mad cow stalemate might be to round up cattle, throw them into a big pit and shoot them.
USA
CME to require COOL documentation for delivered cattle
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange Board of Directors has approved an amendment to the Live Cattle Contract to incorporate country-of-origin labeling. Under this amendment, according to the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, cattle delivered on futures contracts must include COOL documentation. Pending approval from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the amendment would become effective beginning with the October 2004 contract.
House puts freeze on COOL spending
On Monday, the House of Representatives voted 208-193 to exempt meat products from the country-of-origin-labeling rules. The vote came during a $17.5 billion appropriations-bill debate that would forbid the Agriculture Department from spending any of the money to meet a deadline of September 2004 for having the labels affixed to hamburger, sausages and other beef and pork products. The Senate, however, is working to preserve the COOL rules as initially intended. "It will not be lost in the Senate," said Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., responding to a House vote. A Senate appropriations subcommittee is putting together its own version of the USDA-FDA spending bill this week.
Farm state senators say COOL isn't dead
A trio of Midwest senators said they are confident the Senate can muster the votes necessary to require implementation in 2004 of mandatory country-of-origin labeling, despite a House vote that provided no USDA funding for the labeling requirement, essentially stalling, at least for one year, the program's implementation.
USDA Announces Initiatives To Improve Food Safety
U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elsa Murano released a food safety vision document that will guide continuing efforts to improve the safety of U.S. meat, poultry and egg products and protect public health. Titled, “Enhancing Public Health: Strategies for the Future,” the document outlines accomplishments to date as well as challenges that must be overcome in order to further reduce the incidence of food borne illness
Americas
UPDATE 1-Canada set to announce new mad cow safeguards
Canada plans to announce within a few days new safeguards against mad cow disease, hoping it will prompt the United States and Japan to ease their bans on Canadian cattle and beef, sources told Reuters on Wednesday.
WORLD: WTO talks chairman gloomy about Cancun summit prospects
The chairperson of the World Trade Organization’s agricultural talks has warned that productive bilateral discussions behind the scenes will be required for the oncoming WTO summit in Cancun, Mexico, to have any chance of striking a ‘modalities’ deal setting the overall goals for the negotiations.
Mad Cow Frustration Has Alberta Feedlot Owners Threatening to Shoot Cattle
Alberta's beef industry is getting so desperate that some feedlot owners say the only solution to the mad cow stalemate might be to round up cattle, throw them into a big pit and shoot them.
USA
CME to require COOL documentation for delivered cattle
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange Board of Directors has approved an amendment to the Live Cattle Contract to incorporate country-of-origin labeling. Under this amendment, according to the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, cattle delivered on futures contracts must include COOL documentation. Pending approval from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the amendment would become effective beginning with the October 2004 contract.
House puts freeze on COOL spending
On Monday, the House of Representatives voted 208-193 to exempt meat products from the country-of-origin-labeling rules. The vote came during a $17.5 billion appropriations-bill debate that would forbid the Agriculture Department from spending any of the money to meet a deadline of September 2004 for having the labels affixed to hamburger, sausages and other beef and pork products. The Senate, however, is working to preserve the COOL rules as initially intended. "It will not be lost in the Senate," said Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., responding to a House vote. A Senate appropriations subcommittee is putting together its own version of the USDA-FDA spending bill this week.
Farm state senators say COOL isn't dead
A trio of Midwest senators said they are confident the Senate can muster the votes necessary to require implementation in 2004 of mandatory country-of-origin labeling, despite a House vote that provided no USDA funding for the labeling requirement, essentially stalling, at least for one year, the program's implementation.
USDA Announces Initiatives To Improve Food Safety
U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elsa Murano released a food safety vision document that will guide continuing efforts to improve the safety of U.S. meat, poultry and egg products and protect public health. Titled, “Enhancing Public Health: Strategies for the Future,” the document outlines accomplishments to date as well as challenges that must be overcome in order to further reduce the incidence of food borne illness