Asia Pacific | Latest Japan Mad Cow Case and Italy Cases 'Similar'Two cases ...

Asia Pacific

Latest Japan Mad Cow Case and Italy Cases 'Similar'
Two cases of mad cow disease found inItaly last year show some similarities to the most recent case found in a bull in Japan this month, which showed atypical test results, a Japanese farm ministry official said on Tuesday. "What we know at this point is that the (results) of the Western Blot tests of the diseased Japanese cattle and that of the Italian cattle are very similar," he said, referring to a test commonly used on animals thought to be infected.

Brazil Expects to Export Meat to China, Resolve Soy Dispute
Brazil will send a team of scientists to China this month to clinch approval to start exporting meat to the country's retailers and to resolve delays in exports of soybeans to the nat...

Americas

UPDATE 2-Mexico's Fox: still obstacles to FTA with Japan
Mexican President Vicente Fox said on Wednesday there were still obstacles preventing his country andJapan from concluding a free-trade agreement (FTA), a day before a planned meeting with the Japanese prime minister. "There are some obstacles left, but we will put our full efforts into solving them," Fox said in a speech to Japanese business leaders shortly after arriving in Japan.

Brazil resumes imports of Argentine beef
Brazil resumed imports on Tuesday of aged and deboned beef from neighboring Argentina, the Brazilian Agriculture Ministry said.

Brazilian Meat Exports Hit US$1Billion
The Brazilian exports of fresh beef and of processed beef hit US$1bil over the Jan-Sep 2003 period against US$762.8mil registered in equal period in 2002.

Europe

EU says US must drop sanctions in beef hormone row
The European Commission urged theUnited States and Canada on Wednesday to drop more than $100 million of sanctions that they have imposed on the European Union for its ban on beef treated with growth hormones.

EU: EU announces compliance with WTO ruling on hormones in meat
A new EU directive concerning the prohibition on the use of hormones has entered into force and as a consequence the European Commission is now going to request theUSA and Canada to lift their trade sanctions.

WTO hopes for reconciliation
A World Trade Organization meeting in Genevalater on Tuesday is set to make the first steps towards repairing the divisions that opened up in Cancun in Mexico last month.

House Blocks Meat Labeling
The House on Monday blocked a previous requirement that imported meat be identified with country-of-origin labels

USA

Bush to push for U.S. trade deal with Australia
U.S. President George Bush said on Wednesday he would use a brief visit toAustralia next week to push negotiators from the two nations to reach a bilateral free trade deal by the end of the year.

UPDATE 1-Chicago exchange acts to cool surge in cattle prices
A record surge inU.S. cattle prices pushed the Chicago Mercantile Exchange on Tuesday to try to restore order to cattle futures trading and provide an escape hatch for trapped producers who have been losing thousands of dollars a day on their futures positions.

Organic Plant Acquired
Dakota Beef purchases its first plant for the production of organic beef.

Beef Data Shared
Agricultural data collection firms agree to exchange information to facilitate beef trace back efforts.

Standardizing Standards
Beef group urges theUnited States and Canada to harmonize their animal health rules.

Asia Pacific

Latest Japan Mad Cow Case and Italy Cases 'Similar'
Two cases of mad cow disease found inItaly last year show some similarities to the most recent case found in a bull in Japan this month, which showed atypical test results, a Japanese farm ministry official said on Tuesday. "What we know at this point is that the (results) of the Western Blot tests of the diseased Japanese cattle and that of the Italian cattle are very similar," he said, referring to a test commonly used on animals thought to be infected.

Brazil Expects to Export Meat to China, Resolve Soy Dispute
Brazil will send a team of scientists to China this month to clinch approval to start exporting meat to the country's retailers and to resolve delays in exports of soybeans to the nat...

Americas

UPDATE 2-Mexico's Fox: still obstacles to FTA with Japan
Mexican President Vicente Fox said on Wednesday there were still obstacles preventing his country andJapan from concluding a free-trade agreement (FTA), a day before a planned meeting with the Japanese prime minister. "There are some obstacles left, but we will put our full efforts into solving them," Fox said in a speech to Japanese business leaders shortly after arriving in Japan.

Brazil resumes imports of Argentine beef
Brazil resumed imports on Tuesday of aged and deboned beef from neighboring Argentina, the Brazilian Agriculture Ministry said.

Brazilian Meat Exports Hit US$1Billion
The Brazilian exports of fresh beef and of processed beef hit US$1bil over the Jan-Sep 2003 period against US$762.8mil registered in equal period in 2002.

Europe

EU says US must drop sanctions in beef hormone row
The European Commission urged theUnited States and Canada on Wednesday to drop more than $100 million of sanctions that they have imposed on the European Union for its ban on beef treated with growth hormones.

EU: EU announces compliance with WTO ruling on hormones in meat
A new EU directive concerning the prohibition on the use of hormones has entered into force and as a consequence the European Commission is now going to request theUSA and Canada to lift their trade sanctions.

WTO hopes for reconciliation
A World Trade Organization meeting in Genevalater on Tuesday is set to make the first steps towards repairing the divisions that opened up in Cancun in Mexico last month.

House Blocks Meat Labeling
The House on Monday blocked a previous requirement that imported meat be identified with country-of-origin labels

USA

Bush to push for U.S. trade deal with Australia
U.S. President George Bush said on Wednesday he would use a brief visit toAustralia next week to push negotiators from the two nations to reach a bilateral free trade deal by the end of the year.

UPDATE 1-Chicago exchange acts to cool surge in cattle prices
A record surge inU.S. cattle prices pushed the Chicago Mercantile Exchange on Tuesday to try to restore order to cattle futures trading and provide an escape hatch for trapped producers who have been losing thousands of dollars a day on their futures positions.

Organic Plant Acquired
Dakota Beef purchases its first plant for the production of organic beef.

Beef Data Shared
Agricultural data collection firms agree to exchange information to facilitate beef trace back efforts.

Standardizing Standards
Beef group urges theUnited States and Canada to harmonize their animal health rules.