Japan                                    ...

Japan                                                                                            

Deal To Reopen Beef Trade May Be Near

Press reports indicate that Japan may agree to end its demands for 100-percent testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The USDA issued a statement at the end of the U.S./Japan Technical BSE Working Group meeting in Tokyo in which it said the meeting “provided a constructive framework for both sides to meet the shared commitment of utilizing the best science available internationally when addressing BSE issues to protect public and animal health while minimizing trade disruptions in beef and other ruminant products.” The statement didn’t address the testing issue. Industry analysts predict that an agreement will be reached on the basis of Japanese acceptance that the U.S. programs — including the removal of specific risk materials — protect consumers from infection, and the main question left to be resolved is the maximum age of the animals providing beef for Japan. The USDA also said that the Working Group has produced a report (now online) which “will serve as the basis for the discussions between the two governments to establish the terms by which beef trade will resume.”

Indonesia                                                                                     

FSIS Suspends Export Certificates For Beef To Indonesia

Internal wrangling between the agriculture and trade ministries has caused the holdup of some 140 containers in Indonesia’s ports. The Food Safety And Inspection Service (FSIS) has stopped issuing exports for beef and beef products. The stoppage is not linked to the BSE situation. The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is discussing the situation with Indonesian officials. For more information, contact Paul Clayton (pclayton@usmef.org) or Ann Spaeth (aspaeth@usmef.org), 303-623-6328.

Japan                                                                                            

Deal To Reopen Beef Trade May Be Near

Press reports indicate that Japan may agree to end its demands for 100-percent testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The USDA issued a statement at the end of the U.S./Japan Technical BSE Working Group meeting in Tokyo in which it said the meeting “provided a constructive framework for both sides to meet the shared commitment of utilizing the best science available internationally when addressing BSE issues to protect public and animal health while minimizing trade disruptions in beef and other ruminant products.” The statement didn’t address the testing issue. Industry analysts predict that an agreement will be reached on the basis of Japanese acceptance that the U.S. programs — including the removal of specific risk materials — protect consumers from infection, and the main question left to be resolved is the maximum age of the animals providing beef for Japan. The USDA also said that the Working Group has produced a report (now online) which “will serve as the basis for the discussions between the two governments to establish the terms by which beef trade will resume.”

Indonesia                                                                                     

FSIS Suspends Export Certificates For Beef To Indonesia

Internal wrangling between the agriculture and trade ministries has caused the holdup of some 140 containers in Indonesia’s ports. The Food Safety And Inspection Service (FSIS) has stopped issuing exports for beef and beef products. The stoppage is not linked to the BSE situation. The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is discussing the situation with Indonesian officials. For more information, contact Paul Clayton (pclayton@usmef.org) or Ann Spaeth (aspaeth@usmef.org), 303-623-6328.