USMEF Meets The Press In Japan

USMEF “Meets The Press” In Tokyo

Monday (Dec. 26), in Tokyo, a team of observers from the Japanese ministries of health and agriculture (MHLW//MAFF) provided a favorable review of their 10-day mission to the United States to confirm that U.S. government agencies would enforce requirements of the Japanese government’s conditions for lifting of the ban on U.S. beef.

Tuesday, USMEF President & CEO Philip Seng told media, “I am here to report that the U.S. industry is elated to once again by exporting U.S. beef to the Japanese market. The U.S. industry has anxiously awaited the opportunity to provide our safe and wholesome beef to Japan's consumers.

“As you all know, Japan imposed and the U.S. government agreed to very stringent conditions for U.S. beef to gain access to this market, conditions that are unique to Japan. The U.S. industry will work assertively to adhere to those conditions,” he added.

The press conference was one of several activities during the past week aimed at maintaining a positive public opinion of the return of U.S. beef to Japan after being banned two years ago. In addition to reviewing the specific conditions under which U.S. beef would be allowed into Japan for the 40 reporters attending the event, Seng also reviewed the long-standing efforts to control BSE in the United States, including a feed ban in effect for 8 years and the extraordinary level of surveillance for the disease in our cow herd.

Shinobu Shimada, USMEF-Tokyo consumer affairs manager, described how USMEF has and will continue to communicate directly with consumers about the safety of U.S. beef. She said USMEF research has found two things: first, consumers are not as fearful of eating U.S. beef as some polls have indicated, and second, that consumers are very interested in gaining a better understanding about how the U.S. industry and government are working together to produce safe products.

Takemichi Yamashoji, USMEF-Tokyo senior marketing director, described how USMEF would be working with the trade to re-establish U.S. product in the pipeline and promote products directly to consumers. He also outlined the American Beef Sommelier program, begun last September, which has prepared a cadre of U.S. beef spokespersons to answer consumer questions, and a U.S. “beef caravan” and seminars, slated for late January or early February in Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka.  

 

USMEF “Meets The Press” In Tokyo

Monday (Dec. 26), in Tokyo, a team of observers from the Japanese ministries of health and agriculture (MHLW//MAFF) provided a favorable review of their 10-day mission to the United States to confirm that U.S. government agencies would enforce requirements of the Japanese government’s conditions for lifting of the ban on U.S. beef.

Tuesday, USMEF President & CEO Philip Seng told media, “I am here to report that the U.S. industry is elated to once again by exporting U.S. beef to the Japanese market. The U.S. industry has anxiously awaited the opportunity to provide our safe and wholesome beef to Japan's consumers.

“As you all know, Japan imposed and the U.S. government agreed to very stringent conditions for U.S. beef to gain access to this market, conditions that are unique to Japan. The U.S. industry will work assertively to adhere to those conditions,” he added.

The press conference was one of several activities during the past week aimed at maintaining a positive public opinion of the return of U.S. beef to Japan after being banned two years ago. In addition to reviewing the specific conditions under which U.S. beef would be allowed into Japan for the 40 reporters attending the event, Seng also reviewed the long-standing efforts to control BSE in the United States, including a feed ban in effect for 8 years and the extraordinary level of surveillance for the disease in our cow herd.

Shinobu Shimada, USMEF-Tokyo consumer affairs manager, described how USMEF has and will continue to communicate directly with consumers about the safety of U.S. beef. She said USMEF research has found two things: first, consumers are not as fearful of eating U.S. beef as some polls have indicated, and second, that consumers are very interested in gaining a better understanding about how the U.S. industry and government are working together to produce safe products.

Takemichi Yamashoji, USMEF-Tokyo senior marketing director, described how USMEF would be working with the trade to re-establish U.S. product in the pipeline and promote products directly to consumers. He also outlined the American Beef Sommelier program, begun last September, which has prepared a cadre of U.S. beef spokespersons to answer consumer questions, and a U.S. “beef caravan” and seminars, slated for late January or early February in Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka.