Japan | Japan Tells Canada More BSE Testing Needed To Lift Beef Ban | Japan

Japan

Japan Tells Canada More BSE Testing
Needed To Lift Beef Ban

Japan's Agriculture Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei commented recently that Canada must implement further BSE testing on its herds before Japan will consider lifting its ban on Canadian beef. Kamei stated Japan would not remove its complete ban on Canadian beef until Canada enacts rigorous testing similar to the scrutiny Japan applied to its own herd after his country's BSE outbreak in 2001.

“Scientific inspections to the same degree as were conducted in Japan will have to be implemented in Canada,” said Kamei. “(These further BSE inspections) will be a major condition for Japan to reopen to imports of Canadian beef.” Kamei noted that Japan's aggressive BSE testing throughout its herd led to the discovery of additional BSE-infected cattle; Kamei seemed to imply that Japan feels Canada may discover additional Canadian BSE cases after more widespread testing.

Cam Daniels, Vice President of the Canadian Beef Export Federation, responded that Japanese reluctance to lift the Canadian beef ban boiled down to politics, not science. Daniels was apparently referring to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's re-election campaign; Koizumi's government is still trying to rebound from poor public opinion about its handling of Japan's BSE crisis in 2001. U.S. officials have been pleased with Canada's level of scientific scrutiny in its BSE investigation, but have refused to name a date to reopen the U.S. border to Canadian cattle until Japan agrees not to ban U.S. beef imports as a result. Japan has pressed the U.S. to guarantee its beef exports are free of Canadian beef that crossed into the U.S. prior to the BSE ban on May 20.

As of July 30, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien had not commented on whether he will travel to Japan to lobby for reopening the Japanese market to Canadian beef. Canadian beef producers have urged Chretien to negotiate personally with the Japanese in order to reopen the U.S. border to Canadian beef.

Agriculture Ocean Transportation Coalition (AGOTC) - Ocean Transportation Issues.   Please submit your individual nominations for the 2003 USMEF Distinguished Service Award to USMEF by August 15. Click here to download the DSA nomination form in PDF format. Simply fill out this PDF, save it on your computer and then e-mail it back as an attachment to Tiffani Neitzel at tneitzel@usmef.org.   USMEF Board of Directors Meeting - November 5-7, 2003
Hilton El Conquistador Resort, Tucson, Arizona   BOD Sponsorship Form and BOD Reminder Postcard For more information on BOD Sponsorship, please e-mail John Hinners, Membership Director, at jhinners@usmef.org

Japan

Japan Tells Canada More BSE Testing
Needed To Lift Beef Ban

Japan’s Agriculture Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei commented recently that Canada must implement further BSE testing on its herds before Japan will consider lifting its ban on Canadian beef. Kamei stated Japan would not remove its complete ban on Canadian beef until Canada enacts rigorous testing similar to the scrutiny Japan applied to its own herd after his country’s BSE outbreak in 2001.

“Scientific inspections to the same degree as were conducted in Japan will have to be implemented in Canada,” said Kamei. “(These further BSE inspections) will be a major condition for Japan to reopen to imports of Canadian beef.” Kamei noted that Japan’s aggressive BSE testing throughout its herd led to the discovery of additional BSE-infected cattle; Kamei seemed to imply that Japan feels Canada may discover additional Canadian BSE cases after more widespread testing.

Cam Daniels, Vice President of the Canadian Beef Export Federation, responded that Japanese reluctance to lift the Canadian beef ban boiled down to politics, not science. Daniels was apparently referring to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s re-election campaign; Koizumi’s government is still trying to rebound from poor public opinion about its handling of Japan’s BSE crisis in 2001. U.S. officials have been pleased with Canada’s level of scientific scrutiny in its BSE investigation, but have refused to name a date to reopen the U.S. border to Canadian cattle until Japan agrees not to ban U.S. beef imports as a result. Japan has pressed the U.S. to guarantee its beef exports are free of Canadian beef that crossed into the U.S. prior to the BSE ban on May 20.

As of July 30, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien had not commented on whether he will travel to Japan to lobby for reopening the Japanese market to Canadian beef. Canadian beef producers have urged Chretien to negotiate personally with the Japanese in order to reopen the U.S. border to Canadian beef.

Agriculture Ocean Transportation Coalition (AGOTC) - Ocean Transportation Issues.   Please submit your individual nominations for the 2003 USMEF Distinguished Service Award to USMEF by August 15. Click here to download the DSA nomination form in PDF format. Simply fill out this PDF, save it on your computer and then e-mail it back as an attachment to Tiffani Neitzel at tneitzel@usmef.org.   USMEF Board of Directors Meeting - November 5-7, 2003
Hilton El Conquistador Resort, Tucson, Arizona   BOD Sponsorship Form and BOD Reminder Postcard For more information on BOD Sponsorship, please e-mail John Hinners, Membership Director, at jhinners@usmef.org