Asia Pacific | Japan sticking to trade guns on BSE banJapanese officials are...

Asia Pacific

Japan sticking to trade guns on BSE ban
Japanese officials are apparently less-than-impressed with a new and comprehensive report on bovine spongiform encephalopathy issued by an international panel of experts that said screening allU.S. cattle would be overkill and not supported by scientific data.

Japan farm chief: Mad cow report severe for U.S.
TOKYO, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Japanese farm minister Yoshiyuki Kamei said on Friday that a report by international experts on mad cow disease had been severe for the United States as it said that more cases of it could exist in U.S. cattle.

Time running out for US, Australia free trade talks
CANBERRA, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Australian and U.S. trade negotiators were racing against time on Friday to try to save a free trade deal, but officials said discussions were not complete with huge gaps remaining over farm trade concessions.

Australian Exports Grow
Australia starts to take up shortfall in the Japanese market left by the U.S. beef ban.

Free trade deadline near
Free trade talks between Australia and the United States look set to come down to the wire, with the deadline fast approaching

Americas

Canadian mayors tour Washington state
Three Canadian cities visited the central Washingtonstate area where the United States only known case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy mad cow disease was discovered, part of a goodwill mission intended to ease tensions between the two countries.

BSE Spreads
Spainreports nine new cases of the dreaded brain-destroying disease.

USA

UPDATE 1-Daschle urges Bush cut beef from Australia deal
WASHINGTON, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle urged President George W. Bush on Thursday to exclude beef from a free trade agreement with Australia in a move that could complicate last-minute negotiations.

U.S. senator aims to ban cattle brains from feed
WASHINGTON, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell, whose state was hit with the first U.S. case of mad cow disease, on Thursday offered a bill that would ban cattle brains, spinal cords and nervous system tissue from all livestock feed and pet food.

UPDATE 2-Bush admin sees little risk of more mad cow cases
WASHINGTON, Feb 5 (Reuters) - One day after a government-appointed expert panel warned the United States was likely to have more cases of mad cow disease, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said on Thursday there was little risk because there were safeguards already in place.

Asia Pacific

Japan sticking to trade guns on BSE ban
Japanese officials are apparently less-than-impressed with a new and comprehensive report on bovine spongiform encephalopathy issued by an international panel of experts that said screening allU.S. cattle would be overkill and not supported by scientific data.

Japan farm chief: Mad cow report severe for U.S.
TOKYO, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Japanese farm minister Yoshiyuki Kamei said on Friday that a report by international experts on mad cow disease had been severe for the United States as it said that more cases of it could exist in U.S. cattle.

Time running out for US, Australia free trade talks
CANBERRA, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Australian and U.S. trade negotiators were racing against time on Friday to try to save a free trade deal, but officials said discussions were not complete with huge gaps remaining over farm trade concessions.

Australian Exports Grow
Australia starts to take up shortfall in the Japanese market left by the U.S. beef ban.

Free trade deadline near
Free trade talks between Australia and the United States look set to come down to the wire, with the deadline fast approaching

Americas

Canadian mayors tour Washington state
Three Canadian cities visited the central Washingtonstate area where the United States only known case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy mad cow disease was discovered, part of a goodwill mission intended to ease tensions between the two countries.

BSE Spreads
Spainreports nine new cases of the dreaded brain-destroying disease.

USA

UPDATE 1-Daschle urges Bush cut beef from Australia deal
WASHINGTON, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle urged President George W. Bush on Thursday to exclude beef from a free trade agreement with Australia in a move that could complicate last-minute negotiations.

U.S. senator aims to ban cattle brains from feed
WASHINGTON, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell, whose state was hit with the first U.S. case of mad cow disease, on Thursday offered a bill that would ban cattle brains, spinal cords and nervous system tissue from all livestock feed and pet food.

UPDATE 2-Bush admin sees little risk of more mad cow cases
WASHINGTON, Feb 5 (Reuters) - One day after a government-appointed expert panel warned the United States was likely to have more cases of mad cow disease, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said on Thursday there was little risk because there were safeguards already in place.