Japan                                    ...

Japan                                                                                            

Next Step In Japan-U.S. Beef Negotiations Delayed   

Japan's government was expected to inform its Food Safety Advisory Board that it had decided no longer to test cattle under 20 months old for bovine spongiform encephalopathy on Friday and then begin final negotiations with the U.S. Now it appears this action won’t be taken before next week.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative told the Dow Jones news service that the delay was due to "scheduling problems." By notifying the Food Safety Advisory Board instead of waiting on the board’s review of the BSE-testing decision, Japan avoids delaying negotiations with the U.S. by a month.

The representative told Dow Jones that “the key to success in the upcoming negotiations will be the ability of the U.S. to assure Japan that all of the beef exported to Japan will indeed be from cattle under 20 months old because, under the foreseen agreement, those animals will not be tested for BSE.”

Vietnam                                                                                       

FAS Reports Vietnam Is Open To U.S. Beef

The Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) in Vietnam is reporting that the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has agreed to resume imports of U.S. beef. The ATO says that only boneless beef, not from Washington State, and destined for hotels and restaurants can be exported to Vietnam.

Details of an agreement are missing, however, and USMEF is working to obtain them. The FAS report says U.S. beef would be “subject to inspection by [Vietnam’s] Department of Animal Health,” and it is unclear what exactly this means.

Japan                                                                                            

Next Step In Japan-U.S. Beef Negotiations Delayed   

Japan's government was expected to inform its Food Safety Advisory Board that it had decided no longer to test cattle under 20 months old for bovine spongiform encephalopathy on Friday and then begin final negotiations with the U.S. Now it appears this action won’t be taken before next week.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative told the Dow Jones news service that the delay was due to "scheduling problems." By notifying the Food Safety Advisory Board instead of waiting on the board’s review of the BSE-testing decision, Japan avoids delaying negotiations with the U.S. by a month.

The representative told Dow Jones that “the key to success in the upcoming negotiations will be the ability of the U.S. to assure Japan that all of the beef exported to Japan will indeed be from cattle under 20 months old because, under the foreseen agreement, those animals will not be tested for BSE.”

Vietnam                                                                                       

FAS Reports Vietnam Is Open To U.S. Beef

The Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) in Vietnam is reporting that the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has agreed to resume imports of U.S. beef. The ATO says that only boneless beef, not from Washington State, and destined for hotels and restaurants can be exported to Vietnam.

Details of an agreement are missing, however, and USMEF is working to obtain them. The FAS report says U.S. beef would be “subject to inspection by [Vietnam’s] Department of Animal Health,” and it is unclear what exactly this means.