AsiaPacific | Chinese Trade Opens UpMeat and Livestock Australia sends a meat...

AsiaPacific

Chinese Trade Opens Up
Meat and Livestock Australia sends a meat industry delegation to China.

Taiwan to boost imports of Iowa meat
An agreement with Taiwan is expected to generate up to $50 million in increased Iowameat exports, state officials said Wednesday.

Japan: Nippon Meat Packers, Unit Subject to Gov't Steps
Japan's Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry said Wednesday it will issue an administrative instruction to Nippon Meat Packers Inc. and its subsidiary Nippon Food Packers Inc. over a beef mislabeling scandal.

Americas

Canada's Pettigrew open to alliances in trade talks
Canada's Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew, said on Wednesday Canada is open to forming alliances in trade negotiations with the European Union and the United States.

Brazil raises first clone of dead cow
Brazilian scientists have managed for the first time to raise a clone from genetic material taken from a dead cow, the government farm and livestock research company, Embrapa, said on Wednesday.

Brazilian Beef Production Attacked
Beef association says that environmental concerns as well as food safety and traceability should be considered in beef production.

Brazil Strengthens as Meat Exporter
The Brazilian meat sector has been registering, over the past years, one of the most impressive performances, boosted by better raising techniques and sanitary health policies associated with aggressive strategies of companies to expand in the international market.

Europe

Food Organization Sees Multilateral Talks as Only Hope
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization urges countries to get back to the negotiating table.

USA

USDA: U.S. Imports of Canadian Slaughter Hogs Up Sharply
USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS), in their Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook, said USimports of Canadian slaughter hogs have increased sharply since June. Live hog imports reported by USDA/APHIS indicate that US imports of barrows and gilts for the period June-August 2003 increased 48 percent over the same period of 2002.

NPPC: Peterson Bill Does Little to 'Fix' COOL
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) says a new bill introduced in the House by Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) that is currently being touted as a "solution" to the many problems associated with the mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) law, does little to remedy the situation and will still result in costs for U.S. pork producers with no benefits.

Veneman’s Remarks Regarding Future Trends in Animal Agriculture September 17, 2003
“Animal health came to the forefront, literally in the opening days of this administration, when we were dealing with the outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Europeand it has remained a high priority. “Many of us have spent countless hours on issues related to animal and poultry health.

Another study of COOL costs
Implementation of the mandatory country-of-origin-labeling law will be burdensome for U.S. cattle producers, according to a report by the U.S. General Accounting Office. While disputing initial costs estimated by the USDA, the GAO concluded "Any procedures AMS (the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service) puts in place to implement country-of-origin labeling will inevitably impose an additional burden on the U.S. meat, fish and shellfish industries." Proponents for the mandatory program argue that existing origin-identity programs, such as the school meals program, Subsistence Prime Vendor Program, National Organic Program, Process Verified Program, and breed claim and grading programs may be used as models for country-of-origin labeling. GAO disagrees, however, saying, "For meat, fish, and shellfish, we do not believe the existing programs will be particularly useful. This is largely due to the law's unique definitions of a U.S.product."

USA: USDA finds fewer E. coli contaminated beef samples
USfood safety inspectors have been finding a much lower rate of E. coli contamination in ground beef products this year than last year, the US Department of Agriculture has said.

GAO report disputes COOL cost estimates
A report by the General Accounting Office disputed the Agriculture Department's estimated cost of implementing mandatory country-of-origin labeling, though it did not revise the estimate.

Nonprofit organization takes offense at beef on menu at cancer fund-raiser
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is calling for the American Cancer Society to cancel its Cattle Barons' Ball at the 50 U.S.cities where the fund-raiser is held annually.

AsiaPacific

Chinese Trade Opens Up
Meat and Livestock Australia sends a meat industry delegation to China.

Taiwan to boost imports of Iowa meat
An agreement with Taiwan is expected to generate up to $50 million in increased Iowameat exports, state officials said Wednesday.

Japan: Nippon Meat Packers, Unit Subject to Gov't Steps
Japan's Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry said Wednesday it will issue an administrative instruction to Nippon Meat Packers Inc. and its subsidiary Nippon Food Packers Inc. over a beef mislabeling scandal.

Americas

Canada's Pettigrew open to alliances in trade talks
Canada's Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew, said on Wednesday Canada is open to forming alliances in trade negotiations with the European Union and the United States.

Brazil raises first clone of dead cow
Brazilian scientists have managed for the first time to raise a clone from genetic material taken from a dead cow, the government farm and livestock research company, Embrapa, said on Wednesday.

Brazilian Beef Production Attacked
Beef association says that environmental concerns as well as food safety and traceability should be considered in beef production.

Brazil Strengthens as Meat Exporter
The Brazilian meat sector has been registering, over the past years, one of the most impressive performances, boosted by better raising techniques and sanitary health policies associated with aggressive strategies of companies to expand in the international market.

Europe

Food Organization Sees Multilateral Talks as Only Hope
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization urges countries to get back to the negotiating table.

USA

USDA: U.S. Imports of Canadian Slaughter Hogs Up Sharply
USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS), in their Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook, said USimports of Canadian slaughter hogs have increased sharply since June. Live hog imports reported by USDA/APHIS indicate that US imports of barrows and gilts for the period June-August 2003 increased 48 percent over the same period of 2002.

NPPC: Peterson Bill Does Little to 'Fix' COOL
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) says a new bill introduced in the House by Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) that is currently being touted as a "solution" to the many problems associated with the mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) law, does little to remedy the situation and will still result in costs for U.S. pork producers with no benefits.

Veneman’s Remarks Regarding Future Trends in Animal Agriculture September 17, 2003
“Animal health came to the forefront, literally in the opening days of this administration, when we were dealing with the outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Europeand it has remained a high priority. “Many of us have spent countless hours on issues related to animal and poultry health.

Another study of COOL costs
Implementation of the mandatory country-of-origin-labeling law will be burdensome for U.S. cattle producers, according to a report by the U.S. General Accounting Office. While disputing initial costs estimated by the USDA, the GAO concluded "Any procedures AMS (the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service) puts in place to implement country-of-origin labeling will inevitably impose an additional burden on the U.S. meat, fish and shellfish industries." Proponents for the mandatory program argue that existing origin-identity programs, such as the school meals program, Subsistence Prime Vendor Program, National Organic Program, Process Verified Program, and breed claim and grading programs may be used as models for country-of-origin labeling. GAO disagrees, however, saying, "For meat, fish, and shellfish, we do not believe the existing programs will be particularly useful. This is largely due to the law's unique definitions of a U.S.product."

USA: USDA finds fewer E. coli contaminated beef samples
USfood safety inspectors have been finding a much lower rate of E. coli contamination in ground beef products this year than last year, the US Department of Agriculture has said.

GAO report disputes COOL cost estimates
A report by the General Accounting Office disputed the Agriculture Department's estimated cost of implementing mandatory country-of-origin labeling, though it did not revise the estimate.

Nonprofit organization takes offense at beef on menu at cancer fund-raiser
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is calling for the American Cancer Society to cancel its Cattle Barons' Ball at the 50 U.S.cities where the fund-raiser is held annually.