Japan                                    ...

Japan                                                                                            

No Movement On Ban In Response To USDA Announcement

Japanese officials said they will keep the country’s borders closed to U.S. beef, the Bloomberg News Service reports, despite Monday’s USDA announcement of a ten-fold increase in its annual testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda, according to Bloomberg, said USDA’s proposal doesn’t go far enough to persuade Japan to allow imports of U.S. beef. Japan still wants 100 percent testing.

USDA’s new plan calls for the expansion of testing from about 20,000 last year to as many as 260,000 animals—mostly downers that will not enter the food chain, but also increased random testing.

Saudi Arabia                                                                               

BSE Statement Dropped From Saudi Export Requirements

The “Documentation Requirements” in paragraph A.2.d. for red meat and red meat products exported to Saudi Arabia no longer include the BSE statement, which will also be excluded in paragraph 4 on the Letterhead Certificate.

For more information consult the Food Safety And Inspection Service (FSIS) online Library of Export Requirements: www.fsis.usda.gov/ofo/export/saudiara.htm.

Japan                                                                                            

No Movement On Ban In Response To USDA Announcement

Japanese officials said they will keep the country’s borders closed to U.S. beef, the Bloomberg News Service reports, despite Monday’s USDA announcement of a ten-fold increase in its annual testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda, according to Bloomberg, said USDA’s proposal doesn’t go far enough to persuade Japan to allow imports of U.S. beef. Japan still wants 100 percent testing.

USDA’s new plan calls for the expansion of testing from about 20,000 last year to as many as 260,000 animals—mostly downers that will not enter the food chain, but also increased random testing.

Saudi Arabia                                                                               

BSE Statement Dropped From Saudi Export Requirements

The “Documentation Requirements” in paragraph A.2.d. for red meat and red meat products exported to Saudi Arabia no longer include the BSE statement, which will also be excluded in paragraph 4 on the Letterhead Certificate.

For more information consult the Food Safety And Inspection Service (FSIS) online Library of Export Requirements: www.fsis.usda.gov/ofo/export/saudiara.htm.