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USMEF
USMEF Receives Response Letter From
Federal Maritime Commission
USMEF has received a response from the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to its June 6 request for an inquiry into the Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (WTSA) and its harmful effect on U.S. trade. USMEF requested that the FMC investigate the WTSA's limited antitrust immunity status and the negative impact of its proposed shipping rate increase on July 1.
In his response, FMC Chairman Steven Blust states that he “takes [USMEF's] concerns very seriously,” and that he has instructed “the Commission's staff to look into the issues raised and [USMEF] will be advised of the results of that effort as soon as possible.” Click here to view the full FMC response in PDF format; you may also view the original USMEF letter sent to FMC on June 6.
Update: Japanese Government Grants 60-Day
Postponement On BSE-Free Certification Request
USDA officials told an industry teleconference yesterday (June 25) that discussions with Japanese authorities have led to a 60-day postponement of Japan's request for USDA certification that U.S. beef exports to Japan come from the United States or countries which have had no indigenous bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) cases.
Reports indicate that the letter also includes four questions for USDA:
Ø What proportion of U.S. slaughter cattle can be identified regarding their country of origin?
Ø What is the basis for this identification?
Ø What is the average fattening period of U.S. cattle?
Ø What is the age distribution of cattle at the point of slaughter?
Although traceability legislation, which is currently being considered by the Japanese Diet, only regulates Japanese domestic beef, opposition lawmakers also are preparing new legislation specifically that would mandate traceability for imported beef in the interest of “ensuring food safety.” According to a report published today (June 26) in the Japan Agricultural Newspaper, the bill is expected to be introduced in early July and “aims at preventing secondary damage from incidents involving imported beef” by requiring traceability from all countries exporting to Japan. The newspaper also reports “interest in traceability labeling for imported beef is running high within the ruling party as well.”
To answer the concerns of Diet members and consumer pressure groups, Japanese officials are looking for reassurance from the USDA that U.S. actions to secure the safety of the U.S. beef supply are effective and responsive. Negotiations will continue between Japan and the United States during the 60-day postponement. These negotiations are likely to center on definition of specific risk material (SRM) and certification that SRM items are not exported to Japan. In addition, it appears there is disappointment among Japanese officials that their questions about country of origin certification have been ignored by the U.S. until now.
ASEANASEAN Imports of U.S. Beef Climb As USMEF
Singapore's Culinary Training Increases Demand
U.S. beef (including variety meat) exports to the ASEAN region have dramatically increased in the first third of 2003, climbing 359 percent higher in volume (7,264 mt) and 64 percent higher in value ($9.48 million) compared to the same period in 2002. One of many significant factors contributing to this rise is the ongoing marketing effort of USMEF-Singapore's U.S. Meat Culinary Training Program.
USMEF-Singapore regularly conducts two-day culinary educational programs for selected chefs from the ASEAN region to learn U.S. beef and pork preparation methods. During the most recent training session on May 28-29, nine chefs and one restaurant owner/importer from Surabaya, Indonesia, attended. Cooking demonstrations featured U.S. top blade muscle, back ribs, shortplate and short ribs in 14 different recipes; visits to fashionable restaurants in Singapore serving U.S. beef and pork were also included on this training session.
USMEF ASEAN Manager Eric Choon noted that the owner and executive chef for Bel Mondo Restaurant in Medan, Indonesia, now includes top blade, back ribs and shortribs on his menu after attending a culinary program in January 2003. Similarly, the chef from the Hard Rock Café of Bangkok now features U.S. hanging tenders on his menu after attending USMEF culinary sessions. A U.S. Meat Seminar occurred at the Horeka Extravaganza yesterday (June 24) in Jakarta, Indonesia. USMEF-Singapore also sends an Alumni News bulletin to its chef alumni each month to apprise them of the latest U.S. meat news; click here for an example of a recent edition.
According to just-released USDA figures, U.S. beef (including variety meat) exports to Indonesia for the first third of 2003 displayed tremendous improvement over 2002 exports for the same period: a 639 percent increase by volume (5,745 mt) and 156 percent increase by value ($4.22 million).
USMEF
USMEF Receives Response Letter From
Federal Maritime Commission
USMEF has received a response from the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to its June 6 request for an inquiry into the Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (WTSA) and its harmful effect on U.S. trade. USMEF requested that the FMC investigate the WTSA’s limited antitrust immunity status and the negative impact of its proposed shipping rate increase on July 1.
In his response, FMC Chairman Steven Blust states that he “takes [USMEF’s] concerns very seriously,” and that he has instructed “the Commission’s staff to look into the issues raised and [USMEF] will be advised of the results of that effort as soon as possible.” Click here to view the full FMC response in PDF format; you may also view the original USMEF letter sent to FMC on June 6.
Update: Japanese Government Grants 60-Day
Postponement On BSE-Free Certification Request
USDA officials told an industry teleconference yesterday (June 25) that discussions with Japanese authorities have led to a 60-day postponement of Japan’s request for USDA certification that U.S. beef exports to Japan come from the United States or countries which have had no indigenous bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) cases.
Reports indicate that the letter also includes four questions for USDA:
Ø What proportion of U.S. slaughter cattle can be identified regarding their country of origin?
Ø What is the basis for this identification?
Ø What is the average fattening period of U.S. cattle?
Ø What is the age distribution of cattle at the point of slaughter?
Although traceability legislation, which is currently being considered by the Japanese Diet, only regulates Japanese domestic beef, opposition lawmakers also are preparing new legislation specifically that would mandate traceability for imported beef in the interest of “ensuring food safety.” According to a report published today (June 26) in the Japan Agricultural Newspaper, the bill is expected to be introduced in early July and “aims at preventing secondary damage from incidents involving imported beef” by requiring traceability from all countries exporting to Japan. The newspaper also reports “interest in traceability labeling for imported beef is running high within the ruling party as well.”
To answer the concerns of Diet members and consumer pressure groups, Japanese officials are looking for reassurance from the USDA that U.S. actions to secure the safety of the U.S. beef supply are effective and responsive. Negotiations will continue between Japan and the United States during the 60-day postponement. These negotiations are likely to center on definition of specific risk material (SRM) and certification that SRM items are not exported to Japan. In addition, it appears there is disappointment among Japanese officials that their questions about country of origin certification have been ignored by the U.S. until now.
ASEANASEAN Imports of U.S. Beef Climb As USMEF
Singapore’s Culinary Training Increases Demand
U.S. beef (including variety meat) exports to the ASEAN region have dramatically increased in the first third of 2003, climbing 359 percent higher in volume (7,264 mt) and 64 percent higher in value ($9.48 million) compared to the same period in 2002. One of many significant factors contributing to this rise is the ongoing marketing effort of USMEF-Singapore’s U.S. Meat Culinary Training Program.
USMEF-Singapore regularly conducts two-day culinary educational programs for selected chefs from the ASEAN region to learn U.S. beef and pork preparation methods. During the most recent training session on May 28-29, nine chefs and one restaurant owner/importer from Surabaya, Indonesia, attended. Cooking demonstrations featured U.S. top blade muscle, back ribs, shortplate and short ribs in 14 different recipes; visits to fashionable restaurants in Singapore serving U.S. beef and pork were also included on this training session.
USMEF ASEAN Manager Eric Choon noted that the owner and executive chef for Bel Mondo Restaurant in Medan, Indonesia, now includes top blade, back ribs and shortribs on his menu after attending a culinary program in January 2003. Similarly, the chef from the Hard Rock Café of Bangkok now features U.S. hanging tenders on his menu after attending USMEF culinary sessions. A U.S. Meat Seminar occurred at the Horeka Extravaganza yesterday (June 24) in Jakarta, Indonesia. USMEF-Singapore also sends an Alumni News bulletin to its chef alumni each month to apprise them of the latest U.S. meat news; click here for an example of a recent edition.
According to just-released USDA figures, U.S. beef (including variety meat) exports to Indonesia for the first third of 2003 displayed tremendous improvement over 2002 exports for the same period: a 639 percent increase by volume (5,745 mt) and 156 percent increase by value ($4.22 million).