Asia Pacific | UPDATE 1-Japan pressures U.S. over mad cow measuresTOKYO, Jan...

Asia Pacific

UPDATE 1-Japan pressures U.S. over mad cow measures
TOKYO, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Complaining that new U.S. procedures to deal with mad cow disease were not good enough, Japan said on Tuesday it would send a team to rival beef exporter Australia to look for alternative supplies.

Japan eyes Australia, NZ to replace U.S. beef
SYDNEY, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Japanese officials will visit Australia and New Zealand to discuss increasing beef imports from the two countries after Tokyo banned U.S. beef because of its first case of mad cow disease.

US mad cow safeguards below Japan standard-minister
TOKYO, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Japan's top agriculture official said on Tuesday that U.S. safety precautions put in place since the discovery of its first case of mad cow disease are not up to Japanese standards.

China, U.S. look to improve economic ties in two countries
For economists, 2004 will be the year ofChina, much like 2003 was. Only the year ahead poses a new test: Figuring out how the world’s most dynamic economy can get along with the biggest.Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in November called US-China relations “the most important state-to-state relations in our worlds.” Judging from President George W(WN )

Cattle futures prices see big gain
U.S. cattle futures prices rose Monday, closing up the daily limit on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange - a sign of renewed confidence in the nation's beef supply after last month's announcement of the first mad cow case in the United States.

Japanese Official Expresses Doubts Over US Mad-cow Safety Steps
Vice agriculture minister Yoshiaki Watanabe expressed doubts Monday (January 5) over the effectiveness of safety measures theUS government announced last week in the wake of the discovery of the first case of mad cow disease in the United States.

Europe

NZ BSE Watch
Meat NewZealand watches the impact of US BSE.

USA

Low chance of U.S. banning meat in feed -Oil World
HAMBURG, Jan 6 (Reuters) - A ban on use of meat and bone meal in all U.S. animal feed following the recent case of mad cow disease is unlikely, Hamburg-based newsletter Oil World said on Tuesday.

USDA to cull 450 calves in Washington state
The Agriculture Department will kill 450 calves in a Washingtonstate herd that includes an offspring of the cow diagnosed with bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Ron DeHaven, USDA's chief veterinarian, said the month-old calves would be slaughtered this week at an undisclosed facility that is not being used.

Cattle markets stabilize after 20 percent drop
Cattle futures prices gained ground on Monday for the second straight day of trading after falling 20 percent following the Dec. 23 announcement of the United States' first BSE case in Washingtonstate.

Banks: Lending not affected by BSE incident
Banks are still lending money to cattle producers despite the mad cow scare and new regulations, according to a consensus of agricultural lenders.

Rendering companies warned about cattle feed
The Food and Drug Administration has warned 63 companies about violating the 1997 feed ban designed to protect cattle from bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the Associated Press reported.

Traceability Programme Launched
US beef processor puts into place a plan to track its beef products.

Asia Pacific

UPDATE 1-Japan pressures U.S. over mad cow measures
TOKYO, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Complaining that new U.S. procedures to deal with mad cow disease were not good enough, Japan said on Tuesday it would send a team to rival beef exporter Australia to look for alternative supplies.

Japan eyes Australia, NZ to replace U.S. beef
SYDNEY, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Japanese officials will visit Australia and New Zealand to discuss increasing beef imports from the two countries after Tokyo banned U.S. beef because of its first case of mad cow disease.

US mad cow safeguards below Japan standard-minister
TOKYO, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Japan's top agriculture official said on Tuesday that U.S. safety precautions put in place since the discovery of its first case of mad cow disease are not up to Japanese standards.

China, U.S. look to improve economic ties in two countries
For economists, 2004 will be the year ofChina, much like 2003 was. Only the year ahead poses a new test: Figuring out how the world’s most dynamic economy can get along with the biggest.Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in November called US-China relations “the most important state-to-state relations in our worlds.” Judging from President George W(WN )

Cattle futures prices see big gain
U.S. cattle futures prices rose Monday, closing up the daily limit on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange - a sign of renewed confidence in the nation's beef supply after last month's announcement of the first mad cow case in the United States.

Japanese Official Expresses Doubts Over US Mad-cow Safety Steps
Vice agriculture minister Yoshiaki Watanabe expressed doubts Monday (January 5) over the effectiveness of safety measures theUS government announced last week in the wake of the discovery of the first case of mad cow disease in the United States.

Europe

NZ BSE Watch
Meat NewZealand watches the impact of US BSE.

USA

Low chance of U.S. banning meat in feed -Oil World
HAMBURG, Jan 6 (Reuters) - A ban on use of meat and bone meal in all U.S. animal feed following the recent case of mad cow disease is unlikely, Hamburg-based newsletter Oil World said on Tuesday.

USDA to cull 450 calves in Washington state
The Agriculture Department will kill 450 calves in a Washingtonstate herd that includes an offspring of the cow diagnosed with bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Ron DeHaven, USDA's chief veterinarian, said the month-old calves would be slaughtered this week at an undisclosed facility that is not being used.

Cattle markets stabilize after 20 percent drop
Cattle futures prices gained ground on Monday for the second straight day of trading after falling 20 percent following the Dec. 23 announcement of the United States' first BSE case in Washingtonstate.

Banks: Lending not affected by BSE incident
Banks are still lending money to cattle producers despite the mad cow scare and new regulations, according to a consensus of agricultural lenders.

Rendering companies warned about cattle feed
The Food and Drug Administration has warned 63 companies about violating the 1997 feed ban designed to protect cattle from bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the Associated Press reported.

Traceability Programme Launched
US beef processor puts into place a plan to track its beef products.