Food safety has long been a primary focus of U.S. Meat Export Federation effo...

Food safety has long been a primary focus of U.S. Meat Export Federation efforts in Japan. As a result, U.S. products have enjoyed a reputation as being safe and wholesome.

With the announcement by Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) officials last month of a confirmed case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), however, USMEF efforts have been pushed into high gear.

“Japanese consumers have been confronted with a number of food safety issues during the past few years,” notes Phil Seng, USMEF president and CEO. “The announcement that one Japanese animal had tested positive for BSE has temporarily pushed them over the edge.” A recent poll conducted by one of Japan’s leading newspapers, The Asahi Shimbun, found that 89 percent were “very or somewhat concerned” about the issue, 34 percent said they ate beef less often or consumed less beef, and 25 percent of all respondents said they had stopped eating beef.

“There is no doubt that this news has been devastating to the Japanese meat business,” Seng said. “That is why USMEF has shifted more than $1.7 million from other projects to intensify its safety campaign. In addition, we’re working with other major suppliers to share information and coordinate our food safety response.”

Through mid-October, processors in Japan contacted by USMEF reported their sales off 40-70 percent on imported products and 70-80 percent on domestic beef. Foodservice sales were generally off 25-50 percent, with the “yakiniku” barbecue restaurants, which feature variety meats, hit hardest. Retailers reported that sales of domestic beef sales were off 70-90 percent, while sales of imported beef were off 50-80 percent.

There was some good news in foodservice: the beef bowl chain Yoshinoya actually reported sales increases, according to company sources, as the result of a significant price cut and the featuring of U.S. beef.

Safety Campaign

USMEF has used its “Food Safety Bureau,” launched in July, as a primary vehicle to monitor media, correct misinformation and conduct its proactive safety information campaign. The Bureau conducted a Food Safety Seminar in Tokyo September 21 to reinforce with Japanese traders the success of the partnership between industry, government and science in insuring that U.S. meat products are safe and wholesome. A media conference, conducted in Tokyo October 5, was attended by more than 60 leading members of Japan’s consumer media and reinforced these same points.

Working with key industry partners, such as National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the American Meat Institute, USMEF helped Alfonso Torres, Chief Veterinary Officer of the United States, develop a statement for use on all beef products exported to Japan confirming that more than a decade of monitoring “has found no evidence of BSE or any other transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) in cattle.”

In addition, USMEF-Japan developed and placed consumer advertising designed to reiterate key safety messages and reassure Japanese consumers that U.S. product is safe, as well as tasty and nutritious. The ads appeared for the first time over the October 13-14 weekend in publications with a combined circulation of more than 26.7 million. Letters also were sent October 12 to more than 200 retailers and 100 foodservice locations inviting them to participate in joint promotions beginning later in the month. And point of purchase (POP) materials will be available by October 18 to those who choose to participate in the promotional effort.

Meanwhile, at its headquarters in Denver, USMEF is conducting packer briefings, providing case-by-case support to facilitate trade and working with APHIS to develop an effective itinerary for APHIS Senior Staff Veterinarian Linda Detwiler when she visits to Japan, Korea and China October 22-November 4.

Number One Customer

“Japan is our Number One export customer,” Seng noted. “Last year, Japan purchased more than 526,000 metric tons of beef and beef variety meats, valued at nearly $1.8 billion dollars. We simply cannot afford to stand by and do nothing. While we’ve shifted our resources to deal with the current crisis, we haven’t forgotten that we will need to get back to normal demand-building efforts as soon as possible. And that may mean we will need to find additional funding down the road.”

The U.S. Meat Export Federation is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn, sorghum and soybean checkoff programs.

In 2000, according to USDA statistics, total U.S. beef exports grew by 12 percent in volume to more than 1.24 million metric tons, while value grew 13 percent to $3.6 billion. Pork exports grew 12 percent in volume to more than 568,000 metric tons, while value grew 18 percent to $1.3 billion. Exports now account for nearly 13 percent of U.S. beef production and more than 8 percent of U.S. pork production on a wholesale weight basis.

– USMEF –