Asia Pacific | Japanese Restaurant Chain is Perfect Example of How to Build T...

Asia Pacific

 

Japanese Restaurant Chain is Perfect Example of How to Build Trade Relationships
When most U.S. producers think about farm trade, deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement probably come to mind. But while those sweeping agreements are vital, they still do not ensure that US farm products will be used in foreign markets.

 

Unique Strategies Educate Japanese Consumers, Boosting Sales of U.S. Pork
In the heart of an upscale Tokyo neighborhood, just down the street from a 400 year old Shinto shrine is the oldest cooking school in Japan. The school is run by Hiromi Akahori. She is the sixth generation of her family to operate the school, which teaches cooking to Japanese housewives. Akahori uses American products in demonstrations, not only teaching how to prepare traditional Japanese cuisine, but also explaining to the women in her class why she likes to use American products for her recipes.

 

Japan moves closer to marketing cloned meat products
The Japanese government declared that meat and milk products made from cloned cattle are safe for human consumption, moving the Asian nation a step closer to becoming the world's first country to permit the sale of cloned meat, according to news reports.

 

Australian Beef Exports Hit
Australian beef exports fall to North America.

 

Major Boost for Pork Congress
Top Chinese meat industry leader to give keynote speech at World Pork Congress.

 

Cattlemen hope to beef up exports to Japan ... Tariff snag could singe efforts
-- mad cow disease -- were discovered in Japan in September of 2001, beef consumption in that country plunged more than 50 percent, setting the stage for significant impacts on exports this year.

Australia Court Gives Record Fine In Meat Import Law Breach
A Sydney court has handed a record A$13,608 fine to a person convicted of smuggling uncooked meat from Asia, part of a tougher approach to this sort of offense, officials said this week.

Americas

 

Mexico seeking NAFTA limits on corn, bean imports
Mexico plans to ask NAFTA partners Canada and the United States to accept permanent controls for access to its bean and white corn markets under an emergency plan to be signed this month to save its impoverished countryside, farmers say.

 

U.S. beef industry meets with USTR, USDA over Mexican import flap

Requests by Mexican cattle producers for safeguard actions against the United States are a misuse of Mexico's interpretation of the World Trade Organization's safeguard provision and could deal a blow to U.S.-Mexico trade relations, a beef industry coalition told officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the office of the U.S. Trade Representative

 

Boost for Argentine Beef
Argentine beef exports are returning to pre-FMD levels.

 

Europe

 

BSE Controls Breached
FSA reports Specified Risk Material finds in imported meat.

 

USA

 

NPPC: USDA Should Minimize Costs of COOL

National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Jon Caspers, in a teleconference today, says costs of county-of-origin-labeling (COOL) will be burdensome for producers and consumers. The group recently submitted comments to USDA regarding the measure, urging the agency to minimize the costs related to the legislation.