Asia Pacific | Three Japanese firms accused of falsely labeling meat as domes...
Asia Pacific
Three Japanese firms accused of falsely labeling meat as domestic
Japan's Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry said that three companies in western Japan falsely labeled imported beef, as well as cattle intestines and pork, as domestic beef and obtained subsidies under a government beef-buyback program. The ministry said it is considering filing criminal charges against the three companies, Akano Store, Fresh Ishii, and Futagawa Foods.
Bragging About Beef
Australian beef promotions help boost sales in export markets.
Panel Raps Japan Govt's BSE-Linked Subsidy Program
A Japanese panel in a report on Wednesday criticized the government's subsidy program to bail out the meat industry hit by an outbreak of mad cow disease, saying the system had loopholes that allowed meat companies to abuse it.
Americas
BSE Update: Investigation Coming to a Close
Canadian officials yesterday said the active investigation into a single case of BSE reported in Alberta is nearing completion. Testing is now finished and all quarantines have been lifted.
U.S. files WTO case against Mexico
The United States is filing a WTO case against Mexico in connection with Mexico's antidumping orders on U.S. beef and white long-grain rice. That action begins a 60-day consultation period, which is required in WTO disputes. The consultations will also cover aspects of Mexico's recently amended antidumping and countervailing duty laws. "By filing a WTO case today, we are working to ensure that Mexico doesn't use foreign-trade-remedy laws as unfair barriers to U.S. products, and that these laws are administered in a transparent and predictable manner in accordance with WTO rules. American ranchers and rice farmers expect to have fair market access for their products in Mexico," says U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick. For more details, go to
New Mexico to lose TB-free status
Tuberculosis was identified in two dairy herds in Roosevelt County, N.M. The detection of bovine tuberculosis means the state will be reclassified from its tuberculosis-free status under the USDA's tuberculosis rule developed in 2000. New Mexico is the fourth state to fall under the federal tuberculosis rule. It has already been detected in Michigan, Texas and California. The drop in status will require beef and dairy cattle owners transporting cattle out of New Mexico to test for tuberculosis. Under the USDA tuberculosis rule, the state must now develop a plan on how it will regain its tuberculosis-free status.
USA
House Ag funding panel derails COOL
A U.S. House panel has blocked the Agriculture Department from introducing mandatory country of origin labels for meat, but is unclear whether the vote not to fund COOL in 2004 will be the final word in the issue.
Food Industry Offers COOL Site
Comprehensive Web site offers up plenty of information on the potential ramifications of mandatory country-of-origin labeling.
Rats! Feds indict three in Chicago tainted meat case
Rats were feeding on some 22 million pounds of contaminated meat in a Chicago warehouse, federal authorities said in the wake of an indictment of three of the company's top executives.
Packer-ownership hearings in Nebraska
A congressional subcommittee will conduct "fact-finding" hearings on the packer-livestock-ownership issue in Grand Island, Neb., on June 21. The public hearings are scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon at the Hornady-Marshall Auditorium at College Park. Rep. Tom Osborne, R-Neb., says the hearings are designed to give Congress a better idea of the nature and attitudes of the livestock industry. A proposed ban on packer-livestock ownership — the Johnson Amendment — surfaced during the 2002 Farm Bill debates. This illustrates that the issue is far from dead. The Johnson Amendment proposed making it illegal for packers or their agents to control livestock for more than 14 days prior to slaughter — which many believe would include marketing contracts.
Asia Pacific
Three Japanese firms accused of falsely labeling meat as domestic
Japan's Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry said that three companies in western Japan falsely labeled imported beef, as well as cattle intestines and pork, as domestic beef and obtained subsidies under a government beef-buyback program. The ministry said it is considering filing criminal charges against the three companies, Akano Store, Fresh Ishii, and Futagawa Foods.
Bragging About Beef
Australian beef promotions help boost sales in export markets.
Panel Raps Japan Govt's BSE-Linked Subsidy Program
A Japanese panel in a report on Wednesday criticized the government's subsidy program to bail out the meat industry hit by an outbreak of mad cow disease, saying the system had loopholes that allowed meat companies to abuse it.
Americas
BSE Update: Investigation Coming to a Close
Canadian officials yesterday said the active investigation into a single case of BSE reported in Alberta is nearing completion. Testing is now finished and all quarantines have been lifted.
U.S. files WTO case against Mexico
The United States is filing a WTO case against Mexico in connection with Mexico's antidumping orders on U.S. beef and white long-grain rice. That action begins a 60-day consultation period, which is required in WTO disputes. The consultations will also cover aspects of Mexico's recently amended antidumping and countervailing duty laws. "By filing a WTO case today, we are working to ensure that Mexico doesn't use foreign-trade-remedy laws as unfair barriers to U.S. products, and that these laws are administered in a transparent and predictable manner in accordance with WTO rules. American ranchers and rice farmers expect to have fair market access for their products in Mexico," says U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick. For more details, go to
New Mexico to lose TB-free status
Tuberculosis was identified in two dairy herds in Roosevelt County, N.M. The detection of bovine tuberculosis means the state will be reclassified from its tuberculosis-free status under the USDA's tuberculosis rule developed in 2000. New Mexico is the fourth state to fall under the federal tuberculosis rule. It has already been detected in Michigan, Texas and California. The drop in status will require beef and dairy cattle owners transporting cattle out of New Mexico to test for tuberculosis. Under the USDA tuberculosis rule, the state must now develop a plan on how it will regain its tuberculosis-free status.
USA
House Ag funding panel derails COOL
A U.S. House panel has blocked the Agriculture Department from introducing mandatory country of origin labels for meat, but is unclear whether the vote not to fund COOL in 2004 will be the final word in the issue.
Food Industry Offers COOL Site
Comprehensive Web site offers up plenty of information on the potential ramifications of mandatory country-of-origin labeling.
Rats! Feds indict three in Chicago tainted meat case
Rats were feeding on some 22 million pounds of contaminated meat in a Chicago warehouse, federal authorities said in the wake of an indictment of three of the company's top executives.
Packer-ownership hearings in Nebraska
A congressional subcommittee will conduct "fact-finding" hearings on the packer-livestock-ownership issue in Grand Island, Neb., on June 21. The public hearings are scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon at the Hornady-Marshall Auditorium at College Park. Rep. Tom Osborne, R-Neb., says the hearings are designed to give Congress a better idea of the nature and attitudes of the livestock industry. A proposed ban on packer-livestock ownership — the Johnson Amendment — surfaced during the 2002 Farm Bill debates. This illustrates that the issue is far from dead. The Johnson Amendment proposed making it illegal for packers or their agents to control livestock for more than 14 days prior to slaughter — which many believe would include marketing contracts.