Asia Pacific | U.S., Japan plan more talks to resolve BSE deadlockTOKYO, May ...

Asia Pacific

U.S., Japan plan more talks to resolve BSE deadlock
TOKYO, May 19 (Reuters) - Japan and the United States boosted understanding of each other's methods of surveillance and control of mad cow disease, but made no fresh demands at working group talks, officials from both countries said on Wednesday.

U.S., Japanese officials meet to discuss BSE ban
U.S. and Japanese officials on Tuesday began two days of talks in Tokyo regarding Japan's ban on American beef with a visit to a meat market facility in Tamamura, north of Tokyo, to take a firsthand look at testing slaughtered cattle for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the Kyodo News Service reported.

Australia may shift beef marketing to Japan to blunt return of U.S. beef
Beef producers in Australia plan to cut advertising for the country's meat in several key markets in an effort to shore up gains made in Japan while U.S. beef has been banned.

Japan's Nippon Meat posts big profit gains
Osaka, Japan-based Nippon Meat Packers, which suffered a staggering profit plunge last year following a scandal over false labeling of beef, announced Tuesday its group net profit more than doubled in the year to March 31, Japan Economic Newswire reported.

Americas

Canadian hog producers considering buying CME call options
Canadian hog producers are considering purchasing hog option contracts at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, effectively insulating themselves against the threat of anti-dumping and countervailing duties placed on Canadian hogs by the United States.

Europe

U.S. says WTO biotech challenge against EU remains
BRUSSELS, May 19 (Reuters) - The European Union's decision to approve a genetically modified maize will not affect the United States' challenge of EU biotech policy at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), a U.S. spokesman said on Wednesday.

EU Commission poised for decision to lift GMO ban
BRUSSELS, May 19 (Reuters) - The European Union's 30 commissioners opened a meeting on Wednesday which will decide whether to end the bloc's controversial five-year ban on genetically modified foods by approving a biotech maize.

USA

US, Japan mad cow talks are 'very productive'-USDA
WASHINGTON, May 19 (Reuters) - U.S. Agriculture Department officials trying to resume American beef exports to Japan said on Wednesday they had a "very productive" meeting with Japanese officials and would meet again in June.

USDA: Foreign Pork Demand on Fire
USDA, in their latest Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook,said foreign demand for U.S. pork products is on fire. The U.S. pork industry exported 523 million pounds of product in the first-quarter of 2004, almost 19 percent greater than in the same period last year.

Trade Deal Inked
TheUnited States and Australia sign a massive free-trade agreement but beef and some other agricultural products are left out.

Press Statement by Dr. Peter Fernandez Chairman, US BSE Technical Working Group Associate Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA
This first meeting of the US/Japan BSE Technical Working Group was an important first step in restoring beef trade between our two countries. Over the past two days, we and our Japanese counterparts have engaged in a frank and open dialogue on our respective BSE surveillance and control systems.

Asia Pacific

U.S., Japan plan more talks to resolve BSE deadlock
TOKYO, May 19 (Reuters) - Japan and the United States boosted understanding of each other's methods of surveillance and control of mad cow disease, but made no fresh demands at working group talks, officials from both countries said on Wednesday.

U.S., Japanese officials meet to discuss BSE ban
U.S. and Japanese officials on Tuesday began two days of talks in Tokyo regarding Japan's ban on American beef with a visit to a meat market facility in Tamamura, north of Tokyo, to take a firsthand look at testing slaughtered cattle for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the Kyodo News Service reported.

Australia may shift beef marketing to Japan to blunt return of U.S. beef
Beef producers in Australia plan to cut advertising for the country's meat in several key markets in an effort to shore up gains made in Japan while U.S. beef has been banned.

Japan's Nippon Meat posts big profit gains
Osaka, Japan-based Nippon Meat Packers, which suffered a staggering profit plunge last year following a scandal over false labeling of beef, announced Tuesday its group net profit more than doubled in the year to March 31, Japan Economic Newswire reported.

Americas

Canadian hog producers considering buying CME call options
Canadian hog producers are considering purchasing hog option contracts at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, effectively insulating themselves against the threat of anti-dumping and countervailing duties placed on Canadian hogs by the United States.

Europe

U.S. says WTO biotech challenge against EU remains
BRUSSELS, May 19 (Reuters) - The European Union's decision to approve a genetically modified maize will not affect the United States' challenge of EU biotech policy at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), a U.S. spokesman said on Wednesday.

EU Commission poised for decision to lift GMO ban
BRUSSELS, May 19 (Reuters) - The European Union's 30 commissioners opened a meeting on Wednesday which will decide whether to end the bloc's controversial five-year ban on genetically modified foods by approving a biotech maize.

USA

US, Japan mad cow talks are 'very productive'-USDA
WASHINGTON, May 19 (Reuters) - U.S. Agriculture Department officials trying to resume American beef exports to Japan said on Wednesday they had a "very productive" meeting with Japanese officials and would meet again in June.

USDA: Foreign Pork Demand on Fire
USDA, in their latest Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook,said foreign demand for U.S. pork products is on fire. The U.S. pork industry exported 523 million pounds of product in the first-quarter of 2004, almost 19 percent greater than in the same period last year.

Trade Deal Inked
TheUnited States and Australia sign a massive free-trade agreement but beef and some other agricultural products are left out.

Press Statement by Dr. Peter Fernandez Chairman, US BSE Technical Working Group Associate Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA
This first meeting of the US/Japan BSE Technical Working Group was an important first step in restoring beef trade between our two countries. Over the past two days, we and our Japanese counterparts have engaged in a frank and open dialogue on our respective BSE surveillance and control systems.