USA | FSIS report: RTE products safer from listeria | The overall safety of r...
USA
FSIS report: RTE products safer from listeria
The overall safety of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products has improved thanks to the listeria interim final rule published by the Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service. (See FSIS strengthens listeria regulations for RTE meat and poultry products, Meatingplace.com, June 5, 2003.)
According to a new report from FSIS, the rule has prompted establishments to strengthen their control procedures, increase testing and take additional steps to eliminate listeria.
The mission consisted of officials from the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Cabinet Office's Food Safety Commission.
With agricultural officials in the United States still dealing with worries over mad cow disease and the prospect of the Canadian border opening up again for live cattle to enter the United States, opponents of mandatory country-of-origin labeling (MCOOL) are still plotting to kill it, said the president of the National Farmers Union.
He said there was a strong focus from opponents of MCOOL last month in Congress to change the mandatory aspect of the law to voluntary and add it on to the spending bill passed by Congress.
"But for the scare of the Mexican cow possibly being infected, they would have gone through the process and inserted the voluntary language for the mandatory language," Dave Frederickson said.
What he is referring to was an inconclusive BSE test result last month that eventually turned up negative.
Bracing for beef checkoff fight
Attorneys for the Lincoln-based Nebraska Cattlemen will go before the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to argue that the national beef checkoff is constitutional.
The Cattlemen hold intervener status in a long legal battle that pits three South Dakota ranchers, the Kansas City-based Livestock Marketing Association and other checkoff critics against the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board.
The mandatory checkoff generates about $10 million a year in Nebraska, the nation's leading red-meat processing state. The program collects $1 on each head of cattle sold.
If the Supreme Court accepts critics' claims that the checkoff infringes on free speech, beef promoters would have to find some other way to pay for their popular "Beef, It's What's For Dinner" campaign.
Japan
Japan introduces new internet-based beef tracking system
Japan took one step closer to total traceability this week when retailers and restaurants selling beef introduced a beef tracing system – making the coverage of Japan's tracking system probably the widest in the world.
From now on all beef outlets, over 30,000 of them, will have to attach a ten-digit individual identification number or cattle lot number to their produce. Consumers, most of whom carry web-enabled phones, can trace information such as the age of the animal plus where it was raised via the Internet.
Japan initially forced beef producers to list detailed data on their beef in the wake of BSE outbreaks in Japan and abroad.
Japan favors Canadian over US beef
(Kyodo) _ A mission sent by the Japanese government to analyze measures to prevent mad cow disease in North America presented a report Tuesday indicating the need to substantially limit beef imports from the United States even when Japan removes a ban on them, government officials said.
Data on slaughtered cows were found to vary greatly from farm to farm in the United States, they said.
The mission visited farms and other cow-related facilities in Alberta, Canada, and the U.S. state of Kansas from Nov. 29 until Friday in order to gather data to help the government decide whether to remove an import ban on beef from the United States and Canada imposed after the discovery of mad cow disease in the two countries.
Planning to allow imports of beef only from cows slaughtered when they were 20 months old or younger, the government requires accurate data on the age of cows as a condition for lifting the ban.
The mission found that Canada has a nationwide system to trace each cow while the accuracy and storage of data on beef production in the United States vary greatly in accordance with farms in the absence of a uniform recording system.
Based on the mission report, a farm ministry official said that while resumption of full-scale beef imports from Canada is highly likely if necessary conditions are met, imports of American beef will be substantially limited even when the ban is removed unless accurate production data become available.
Canada
National Meat Association plea to intervene in Canadian border case denied
The U.S. District Court in Billings, Mont., has turned down the National Meat Association's request to intervene in R-CALF v. USDA. The court ruled that it is too early for NMA to intervene, but left open the option of a later intervention after the Agriculture Department issues its final rule on reopening the Canadian border to live cattle.
R-CALF is suing USDA, demanding that the border remain closed. NMA and other entities that rely on Canadian cattle want it reopened. The Bush administration favors reopening the border as soon as possible under the law.
According to NMA, USDA will issue that rule within days, and the association will decide whether to renew its request after reviewing the rule. "NMA's efforts to represent the interests of American beef packers have been well documented, and we're disappointed that those interests will not be immediately represented before the court," said NMA Executive Director Rosemary Mucklow.
Fairview Post — Over half a century ago the Alberta government saw the need to create an association that would help cattle and sheep producers with financing their operations. Now the Alberta legislature has extended those benefits to include the hog industry by pledging $1.5 million as its initial commitment to the cause. This development lead the way to the creation of the Alberta Hog Feeder Association with its headquarters in Fairview.
The association was officially opened Nov. 29 and drew a number of dignitaries and officials to its offices located on Main Street. Amongst those on hand for the celebration was Dunvegan MLA Hector Goudreau who described the event as being ‘groundbreaking’ and ‘historical’. Goudreau also said once the proposal was presented to Shirley McLelland, then Minister of Agriculture, the process moved through the political system at an inordinate pace which he credited to the soundness of the proposal and the dedication of everyone who worked to make it a reality. He also credited key members of the association for establishing the head office in Fairview. “With the technology available today it is appropriate,” said Goudreau, “it’ll create a few jobs.”
Europe
British beef: ending the madness (COMMENT)Beef from older cattle is to be allowed back into the UK food chain. Beef producers have welcomed moves to allow older cattle back into the food chain, describing it as a huge boost to the industry. The success of new testing procedures being introduced to maintain safety standards will be critical in maintaining consumer trust and the export opportunities that should materialize as a result of the decision.
USA
FSIS report: RTE products safer from listeria
The overall safety of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products has improved thanks to the listeria interim final rule published by the Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service. (See FSIS strengthens listeria regulations for RTE meat and poultry products, Meatingplace.com, June 5, 2003.)
According to a new report from FSIS, the rule has prompted establishments to strengthen their control procedures, increase testing and take additional steps to eliminate listeria.
The mission consisted of officials from the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Cabinet Office's Food Safety Commission.
With agricultural officials in the United States still dealing with worries over mad cow disease and the prospect of the Canadian border opening up again for live cattle to enter the United States, opponents of mandatory country-of-origin labeling (MCOOL) are still plotting to kill it, said the president of the National Farmers Union.
He said there was a strong focus from opponents of MCOOL last month in Congress to change the mandatory aspect of the law to voluntary and add it on to the spending bill passed by Congress.
"But for the scare of the Mexican cow possibly being infected, they would have gone through the process and inserted the voluntary language for the mandatory language," Dave Frederickson said.
What he is referring to was an inconclusive BSE test result last month that eventually turned up negative.
Bracing for beef checkoff fight
Attorneys for the Lincoln-based Nebraska Cattlemen will go before the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to argue that the national beef checkoff is constitutional.
The Cattlemen hold intervener status in a long legal battle that pits three South Dakota ranchers, the Kansas City-based Livestock Marketing Association and other checkoff critics against the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board.
The mandatory checkoff generates about $10 million a year in Nebraska, the nation's leading red-meat processing state. The program collects $1 on each head of cattle sold.
If the Supreme Court accepts critics' claims that the checkoff infringes on free speech, beef promoters would have to find some other way to pay for their popular "Beef, It's What's For Dinner" campaign.
Japan
Japan introduces new internet-based beef tracking system
Japan took one step closer to total traceability this week when retailers and restaurants selling beef introduced a beef tracing system – making the coverage of Japan's tracking system probably the widest in the world.
From now on all beef outlets, over 30,000 of them, will have to attach a ten-digit individual identification number or cattle lot number to their produce. Consumers, most of whom carry web-enabled phones, can trace information such as the age of the animal plus where it was raised via the Internet.
Japan initially forced beef producers to list detailed data on their beef in the wake of BSE outbreaks in Japan and abroad.
Japan favors Canadian over US beef
(Kyodo) _ A mission sent by the Japanese government to analyze measures to prevent mad cow disease in North America presented a report Tuesday indicating the need to substantially limit beef imports from the United States even when Japan removes a ban on them, government officials said.
Data on slaughtered cows were found to vary greatly from farm to farm in the United States, they said.
The mission visited farms and other cow-related facilities in Alberta, Canada, and the U.S. state of Kansas from Nov. 29 until Friday in order to gather data to help the government decide whether to remove an import ban on beef from the United States and Canada imposed after the discovery of mad cow disease in the two countries.
Planning to allow imports of beef only from cows slaughtered when they were 20 months old or younger, the government requires accurate data on the age of cows as a condition for lifting the ban.
The mission found that Canada has a nationwide system to trace each cow while the accuracy and storage of data on beef production in the United States vary greatly in accordance with farms in the absence of a uniform recording system.
Based on the mission report, a farm ministry official said that while resumption of full-scale beef imports from Canada is highly likely if necessary conditions are met, imports of American beef will be substantially limited even when the ban is removed unless accurate production data become available.
Canada
National Meat Association plea to intervene in Canadian border case denied
The U.S. District Court in Billings, Mont., has turned down the National Meat Association's request to intervene in R-CALF v. USDA. The court ruled that it is too early for NMA to intervene, but left open the option of a later intervention after the Agriculture Department issues its final rule on reopening the Canadian border to live cattle.
R-CALF is suing USDA, demanding that the border remain closed. NMA and other entities that rely on Canadian cattle want it reopened. The Bush administration favors reopening the border as soon as possible under the law.
According to NMA, USDA will issue that rule within days, and the association will decide whether to renew its request after reviewing the rule. "NMA's efforts to represent the interests of American beef packers have been well documented, and we're disappointed that those interests will not be immediately represented before the court," said NMA Executive Director Rosemary Mucklow.
Fairview Post — Over half a century ago the Alberta government saw the need to create an association that would help cattle and sheep producers with financing their operations. Now the Alberta legislature has extended those benefits to include the hog industry by pledging $1.5 million as its initial commitment to the cause. This development lead the way to the creation of the Alberta Hog Feeder Association with its headquarters in Fairview.
The association was officially opened Nov. 29 and drew a number of dignitaries and officials to its offices located on Main Street. Amongst those on hand for the celebration was Dunvegan MLA Hector Goudreau who described the event as being ‘groundbreaking’ and ‘historical’. Goudreau also said once the proposal was presented to Shirley McLelland, then Minister of Agriculture, the process moved through the political system at an inordinate pace which he credited to the soundness of the proposal and the dedication of everyone who worked to make it a reality. He also credited key members of the association for establishing the head office in Fairview. “With the technology available today it is appropriate,” said Goudreau, “it’ll create a few jobs.”
Europe
British beef: ending the madness (COMMENT)Beef from older cattle is to be allowed back into the UK food chain. Beef producers have welcomed moves to allow older cattle back into the food chain, describing it as a huge boost to the industry. The success of new testing procedures being introduced to maintain safety standards will be critical in maintaining consumer trust and the export opportunities that should materialize as a result of the decision.