BSE | Veneman: USDA Mulls New BSE Measures | The U.S. Department of Agricult...

BSE

Veneman: USDA Mulls New BSE Measures

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is considering new safety measures, such as increased cattle surveillance, to guard against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), USDA Secretary Ann Veneman said yesterday (July 10). Although Secretary Veneman also said that she is confident that Canadian beef is safe for consumers, she gave few details about what action the USDA would take and would not give a timetable for the lifting of the ban on imports of Canadian beef.

Japan

Japan To Trigger Beef Safeguard

Veneman also told reporters after a meeting with Japanese Agriculture Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei that Japan would impose the beef safeguard, thus increasing the tariff on beef imports from 38.5 percent to 50 percent on August 1 at least on chilled. Japan's beef safeguard is separated into frozen and chilled.

USMEF

WTSA Responds to Federal Maritime Commission Regarding USMEF Letter

As part of the continuing dialogue between USMEF, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) and the Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (WTSA), USMEF has received a copy of the response letter sent by WTSA to the FMC on June 27. The WTSA's rebuttal letter attempts to validate its proposed shipping rate increase and its limited antitrust immunity status; the full WTSA rebuttal letter may be viewed here in PDF format. Please do not forward this letter, as it is confidential to USMEF members only.

As reported in the June 30 edition of Export Newsline, USMEF received a response from the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) on June 20 to its initial June 6 request for an inquiry into the WTSA and its harmful effect on U.S. trade. In his response, FMC Chairman Steven Blust states that he “takes [USMEF's] concerns very seriously,” and that he has instructed “the Commission's staff to look into the issues raised and [USMEF] will be advised of the results of that effort as soon as possible.” Click here to view the full FMC response letter, or the original USMEF letter sent to FMC on June 6.

BSE

Veneman: USDA Mulls New BSE Measures

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is considering new safety measures, such as increased cattle surveillance, to guard against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), USDA Secretary Ann Veneman said yesterday (July 10). Although Secretary Veneman also said that she is confident that Canadian beef is safe for consumers, she gave few details about what action the USDA would take and would not give a timetable for the lifting of the ban on imports of Canadian beef.

Japan

Japan To Trigger Beef Safeguard

Veneman also told reporters after a meeting with Japanese Agriculture Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei that Japan would impose the beef safeguard, thus increasing the tariff on beef imports from 38.5 percent to 50 percent on August 1 at least on chilled. Japan's beef safeguard is separated into frozen and chilled.

USMEF

WTSA Responds to Federal Maritime Commission Regarding USMEF Letter

As part of the continuing dialogue between USMEF, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) and the Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (WTSA), USMEF has received a copy of the response letter sent by WTSA to the FMC on June 27. The WTSA's rebuttal letter attempts to validate its proposed shipping rate increase and its limited antitrust immunity status; the full WTSA rebuttal letter may be viewed here in PDF format. Please do not forward this letter, as it is confidential to USMEF members only.

As reported in the June 30 edition of Export Newsline, USMEF received a response from the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) on June 20 to its initial June 6 request for an inquiry into the WTSA and its harmful effect on U.S. trade. In his response, FMC Chairman Steven Blust states that he “takes [USMEF’s] concerns very seriously,” and that he has instructed “the Commission’s staff to look into the issues raised and [USMEF] will be advised of the results of that effort as soon as possible.” Click here to view the full FMC response letter, or the original USMEF letter sent to FMC on June 6.