Asia Pacific | U.S. says wins Chinese assurances on soybean tradeBEIJING, Jul...

Asia Pacific

U.S. says wins Chinese assurances on soybean trade
BEIJING, July 30 (Reuters) - China has assured the United States that its new rules on imports of genetically modified agricultural products will not hurt imports of U.S. soybeans, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said on Tuesday.

Japan June Jobless Rate Unchanged at 5.4%; May Rise as Companies Cut Costs

Japan's jobless rate held at 5.4 percent in June, just shy of its record high. Unemployment may climb in coming months as companies from retailer Daimaru Inc. to Kenwood Corp., the maker of car audio equipment, cut staff to boost profit. 

Americas

Brazil develops vaccine to eradicate cattle tick
The plague known as 'carrapato-do-boi' (cattle tick), which accounts for US$1bil losses per year in Brazil (according to the Brazilian government), is to be eradicated by a vaccine developed by UFV (Universidade Federal de Vicosa).

USA

Veneman Receives Assurances on China Trade Issues
During her trip to Beijing, Ag Secretary Ann Veneman was told by Chinese officials they will comply with World Trade Organization rules and trade will not be disrupted. Bush administration unveils proposal on global trade; cattlemen applaud the move
What cattlemen are calling a "bold, innovative proposal" for reforming current rules of global agricultural trade by was unveiled July 25 by the Bush administration. NCBA says Veneman's visit to Japan is a good move for American beef
Japan has been in the news quite a bit in recent months -- most recently due to meat industry scandals. But here's some good news about the island nation relating to American beef. Why Not 'Pasteurize' Ground Beef?
The nationwide recall of 19 million pounds of ground beef after some 20 people became sick from eating E. coli-contaminated meat could have been avoided with widespread use of irradiation, a method of ``pasteurizing' food that was approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration in 1997 and has been endorsed by the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association.