January 12, 2007

US to press Japan to lift beef-age lift

The US is keen on starting talks with Japan later this year on easing its criteria for American beef imports, "Kyodo News" reported, citing visiting Japanese farm minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka.

The US trade representative Susan Schwab expected proposed negotiations to start after May, when the World Organisation for Animal Health, or OIE, is likely to give the US official beef-safety status.

Once the talks begin, the US could insist on raising the age limit on cattle slaughtered for its beef imports to 30 months from the current 20 or to even remove the age limit completely. Japan currently allows US beef from cattle verified to be 20 months of age or younger. Japan's agriculture minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka however, did not seem too forthcoming on this and said "Ensuring the safety of Japanese people must come first".

The US feels Japan's tough rules on beef import were creating a serious supply shortage.