Asia Pacific | Daiei's Takagi to Quit as President; First-Half Profit Falls 4...

Asia Pacific

Daiei's Takagi to Quit as President; First-Half Profit Falls 49 Percent
Kunio Takagi, president of Daiei Inc., Japan's third-largest retailer, said he will resign later this month following his decision to ask a government-run revival agency for financial help.

Australia to produce its own stock of FMD vaccine
Although the country has so far been free of foot-and-mouth disease, Australian authorities have funded a program to produce and store a vaccine supply as a hedge against the financially devastating disease. Local and federal officials have signed a $4 million (Australian) contract with a veterinary chemical company, Merial, to produce the vaccine. Up to 500,000 doses of antigens will be kept on hand at Merial facilities in the United Kingdom. Major Australian pork and beef producers are contributing to the program, which supplements agreements Australia had with international vaccine banks.

Imports of U.S. beef held up till spring
Fettered by the slow pace of changing the rules for testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, imports of American beef into Japan will probably not resume for at least another four or five months.

Mad cow package exempts young cows from blanket testing
Kyodo.com-News.The farm and health ministries unveiled Friday a package of measures on mad cow disease which calls for exempting cows aged 20 months and younger from testing for the disease.

Japan May Relax Mad Cow Testing Standards
TOKYO- Japan's agriculture minister on Friday proposed relaxing testing standards for mad cow disease in a move that could lead to the end of an eight-month ban on U.S. beef imports.

Europe

EU: Commission approves €188m to fight animal diseases in 2005
The European Commission has approved a financial package of €188m (US$233.1m) to fight animal diseases in the EU in 2005.

Americas

Canadian pork processors join forces
Two Quebec-based pork processors, Supraliment, a division of Montreal's Groupe Brochu, and Olymel S.E.C., a subsidiary of La Coop federee, have agreed to merge, forming a leading national and international processor.

Canadian trade mission to visit Brazil, discuss beef import ban
Canada will send a trade mission to Brazil in the near future, where the two countries are expected to discuss disputes over airplane subsidies and a mutual ban on beef imports.

Canadian pig decision expected
After the hog market collapsed in 1998, Eldora, Ia., veterinarian Tom Samp sought ways to keep some independent producers.

U.S.

USA: Swift to increase value-added production capacity
US meat processor Swift & Company has announced the strategic repositioning of its Greeley-based beef processing capabilities to significantly expand the company's production of value-added products.

Processor sues USDA, alleging retaliation
John W. Munsell, president of Miles City-based Montana Quality Foods & Processing, is taking the Agriculture Department to court, alleging that the agency retaliated against him for criticizing what he described as a systemic lack of action in protecting the beef supply from E. coli O157:H7.

 

 

Asia Pacific

Daiei's Takagi to Quit as President; First-Half Profit Falls 49 Percent
Kunio Takagi, president of Daiei Inc., Japan's third-largest retailer, said he will resign later this month following his decision to ask a government-run revival agency for financial help.

Australia to produce its own stock of FMD vaccine
Although the country has so far been free of foot-and-mouth disease, Australian authorities have funded a program to produce and store a vaccine supply as a hedge against the financially devastating disease. Local and federal officials have signed a $4 million (Australian) contract with a veterinary chemical company, Merial, to produce the vaccine. Up to 500,000 doses of antigens will be kept on hand at Merial facilities in the United Kingdom. Major Australian pork and beef producers are contributing to the program, which supplements agreements Australia had with international vaccine banks.

Imports of U.S. beef held up till spring
Fettered by the slow pace of changing the rules for testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, imports of American beef into Japan will probably not resume for at least another four or five months.

Mad cow package exempts young cows from blanket testing
Kyodo.com-News.The farm and health ministries unveiled Friday a package of measures on mad cow disease which calls for exempting cows aged 20 months and younger from testing for the disease.

Japan May Relax Mad Cow Testing Standards
TOKYO- Japan's agriculture minister on Friday proposed relaxing testing standards for mad cow disease in a move that could lead to the end of an eight-month ban on U.S. beef imports.

Europe

EU: Commission approves €188m to fight animal diseases in 2005
The European Commission has approved a financial package of €188m (US$233.1m) to fight animal diseases in the EU in 2005.

Americas

Canadian pork processors join forces
Two Quebec-based pork processors, Supraliment, a division of Montreal's Groupe Brochu, and Olymel S.E.C., a subsidiary of La Coop federee, have agreed to merge, forming a leading national and international processor.

Canadian trade mission to visit Brazil, discuss beef import ban
Canada will send a trade mission to Brazil in the near future, where the two countries are expected to discuss disputes over airplane subsidies and a mutual ban on beef imports.

Canadian pig decision expected
After the hog market collapsed in 1998, Eldora, Ia., veterinarian Tom Samp sought ways to keep some independent producers.

U.S.

USA: Swift to increase value-added production capacity
US meat processor Swift & Company has announced the strategic repositioning of its Greeley-based beef processing capabilities to significantly expand the company's production of value-added products.

Processor sues USDA, alleging retaliation
John W. Munsell, president of Miles City-based Montana Quality Foods & Processing, is taking the Agriculture Department to court, alleging that the agency retaliated against him for criticizing what he described as a systemic lack of action in protecting the beef supply from E. coli O157:H7.