Suggested Lead: J.B. Penn, undersecretary of the USDA Farm and Foreign Agricu...

Suggested Lead: J.B. Penn, undersecretary of the USDA Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, who has been involved in negotiations with Japan and other Asian-Pacific trading partners, recently provided an update to U.S. Meat Exort Federation directors on the reopening key markets to U.S. beef :

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No word yet on when a decision will be made. In related news, Japan confirmed its 20th case of BSE in a Holstein from northern Japan, the government said Monday.

Meanwhile, Penn gives an update on the latest efforts to reopen the South Korean market.

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Penn also identifies what else the USDA is doing in the Asian region to reopen those markets to U.S. beef.

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Penn says technical team visits are essential diplomatic efforts to show other countries how the United States is using science to ensure U.S. beef safety. Science should be the basis for trade.

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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.

– USMEF –