February 15, 2006

Japan expresses renewed concerns over US beef safety

Japan is expressing fresh concerns over the safety of US beef based on the results of a recently released audit on how the US protects its beef supply from mad cow disease, US Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said Tuesday, Feb 14.

Johanns said that he assured Japanese Agriculture Minister Shoichi Nakagawa in a telephone conversation Tuesday morning that the minister's concerns would be addressed.

Some US beef processing plants had no records to show they kept risky bovine material out of the food supply, and some slaughter houses appeared to be allowing downer cattle--animals that cannot stand or walk--into the food supply because of a lack of paperwork filed by inspectors.

Johanns told reporters he could not answer Nakagawa's question of whether any of those facilities had been approved to export beef to Japan before it halted beef imports from the US.

"We will very definitely answer any questions that they might have, whether its the issue of downer animals in processing, or whatever," Johanns told reporters. "And I indicated to (Nakagawa) that as we work through this, we will address whatever questions Japan has."

Japan halted imports of US beef on Jan 20 after discovering prohibited vertebral column in a shipment of veal. The disruption came just a month after Japan eased a two-year ban on US beef -- a ban that was put in place after mad cow disease was first discovered in the US in December 2003.

Johanns said it may be necessary to send high-level USDA officials to Japan to facilitate a resumption of beef trade.