Asia PacificJapanese Group Backs U.S. PackersAn inspection team from the rul...

Asia Pacific
Japanese Group Backs U.S. Packers
An inspection team from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party that had visited several U.S. packing plants late last week reported back that most U.S. processing companies were employing sufficient safeguards to be qualified to ship beef to Japan.

Europe
EU Bans Beef Imports From Small Part of Argentina
The European Union has banned beef imports from eight departments in Argentina's northeastern province of Corrientes, which is battling to contain an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, the EU executive said on Wednesday.

Declining Retail Performance Could Impact Meat Prices
Declining European food retail performance is set to fall further in 2006 as retailers get caught between consumer demands for cheaper prices and manufacturers demands for greater returns.

Americas
Canada Says Cattle Herd Shrinks After U.S. Resumes Beef Imports
Canada said its cattle herd in 2005 declined for the first time in three years after the U.S. resumed imports of beef, easing a glut that sent prices plunging.

Pig Industry Flies Out Of Canadian Province Quebec
Deboning a pig carcass will never rank up there as anyone's dream career. But for the residents of tiny St-Simon, Que., population 1,093, the 650 jobs provided by the local pork processing plant have long been a preferred alternative to their town's economic starvation.

United States
Tool To Measure Intramuscular Fat Could Revolutionize Pork Industry
A central Iowa company hopes their product can make pork even tastier tomorrow than it is today. Using ultrasound technology to measure intramuscular fat will likely be cheaper and easier than conducting carcass tests.

U.S. Government Disqualifies Beef Plant For Shipment To Japan
The U.S. government has informed Japan that it has disqualified major U.S. meat packer's plant in Nebraska as a processor of beef for export to Japan due to a violation of procedures, the Japanese government said Thursday.

Asia Pacific
Japanese Group Backs U.S. Packers
An inspection team from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party that had visited several U.S. packing plants late last week reported back that most U.S. processing companies were employing sufficient safeguards to be qualified to ship beef to Japan.

Europe
EU Bans Beef Imports From Small Part of Argentina
The European Union has banned beef imports from eight departments in Argentina's northeastern province of Corrientes, which is battling to contain an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, the EU executive said on Wednesday.

Declining Retail Performance Could Impact Meat Prices
Declining European food retail performance is set to fall further in 2006 as retailers get caught between consumer demands for cheaper prices and manufacturers demands for greater returns.

Americas
Canada Says Cattle Herd Shrinks After U.S. Resumes Beef Imports
Canada said its cattle herd in 2005 declined for the first time in three years after the U.S. resumed imports of beef, easing a glut that sent prices plunging.

Pig Industry Flies Out Of Canadian Province Quebec
Deboning a pig carcass will never rank up there as anyone's dream career. But for the residents of tiny St-Simon, Que., population 1,093, the 650 jobs provided by the local pork processing plant have long been a preferred alternative to their town's economic starvation.

United States
Tool To Measure Intramuscular Fat Could Revolutionize Pork Industry
A central Iowa company hopes their product can make pork even tastier tomorrow than it is today. Using ultrasound technology to measure intramuscular fat will likely be cheaper and easier than conducting carcass tests.

U.S. Government Disqualifies Beef Plant For Shipment To Japan
The U.S. government has informed Japan that it has disqualified major U.S. meat packer's plant in Nebraska as a processor of beef for export to Japan due to a violation of procedures, the Japanese government said Thursday.