Meat + Poultry - December 2005 - 3

December 2005

THE FRONT PAGE
Japan border reopens
to some U.S. beef
WASHINGTON - After a trade ban
lasting nearly two years, Japan has
agreed to begin reopening its borders
to beef imports from the United States.
The news was met with mixed reactions
from the U.S. beef industry because of
the age restriction put on the animals
used for the exported products. Initially, Japan is only accepting beef products from animals 20 months of age or
younger, which represents only about
15 percent of U.S. cattle. U.S. trade officials planned for the first shipment of
beef to arrive in Japan by Dec. 18. Japan
had been the largest importer of U.S.
beef prior to its decision to ban American beef in response to the December
2003 discovery of bovine spongiform
encephalopathy within U.S. borders.
"For me personally, it's like Christmas has come early," said Jim McAdams, president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, Centennial,
Colo., during a press conference announcing the reopening of the border.
Acknowledging the long process of reestablishing trade with Japan has been
costly, McAdams said the agreement
is the first step in reviving trade in this
market, which represented $1.4 billion
in beef exports in 2003. N.C.B.A. estimates the economic loss attributed to
the trade embargo has been $3.14 billion per year. Additionally, an estimated
10,000 jobs have been lost in U.S. meatpacking plants since the embargo.
McAdams said trade officials are using this as a stepping stone to unrestricted trade with Japan. "Based upon
the internationally recognized B.S.E.
guidelines, U.S. cattlemen will continue to work toward fully reinstating access for our products around the world."

In the meantime, U.S. cattlemen wanting to export products to Japan must
have their operations approved through
a quality system assessment, which is
part of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's
Beef Export Verification Program. This
program starts on the farm and extends
to packing facilities.
The 20-month restriction on U.S. imports did not exist
prior to the B.S.E.
discovery in 2003,
and McAdams said trade officials are
working on the assumption that this stipulation is only temporary. He pointed
out that the World Organization of Animal Health (O.I.E.) standards do not put
age restrictions on beef exported from
the United States because of its status as
a low-risk country for B.S.E. (U.S. cattle
are required to meet feeding guidelines,
meat must be deboned and all specified
risk material removed.) "All of these re-

quirements are fully met by the U.S. beef
industry," McAdams said, and he hopes
this international standard will soon become the norm in Japan.
Patrick Boyle, president and C.E.O. of
the American Meat Institute, Washington, D.C., said Japan's decision to partially reopen its borders is good news,
but he pointed out "that a large percentage of the U.S. beef supply will remain
ineligible for export to Japan due to the
restrictive age limitation." He encouraged
government
officials in Japan to
adhere to the O.I.E.
standards of not imposing age restrictions on U.S. beef.
U.S. Agriculture
Secretary Mike Johanns said the opening of the Japanese market was a move
in the right direction for domestic producers and consumers in Japan. He said
resuming trade on a limited basis is "an
important step toward normalized trade
based on scientifically sound, internationally recognized standards." He hopes
the move will encourage other countries
to follow suit. "Japan's action today provides an excellent example for other
Continued on Page 4

"It's like Christmas
has come early."

Sara Lee transfers production of smoked sausage
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Sara Lee Foods has
announced it will move production of
smoked sausage for the retail market from
its St. Joseph facility to its New London,
Wis., plant.
With about 1,000 employees, the New London plant, processes about twice
as much sausage as the facility in St. Joseph. The plant makes a majority of the
company's Hillshire Farm brand bulk sausage. The New London facility will do
the griding and the seasoning, and the sausage will be packaged at another plant,
according to a company spokesman.
The move will elimate nearly 100 jobs from the St. Joseph plant, leaving it with
approximately 500 workers, while creating about 15 new jobs at the New London operation.
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December 2005

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Meat + Poultry - December 2005

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