March 3, 2008

Japan suspends beef imports from Smithfield factory

Japan's farm ministry said Friday (February 29, 2008) it has suspended beef imports from a factory owned by a unit of Smithfield Foods Inc. (SFD) because the factory shipped beef that may have failed to meet Japanese import regulations, Kyodo news agency reported.

Imports from the factory in Tolleson, Arizona, run by the Smithfield Beef Group, will be suspended for the time being, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said, according to Kyodo.

The factory shipped around 20 tonnes of beef shoulder to Japan, which arrived at Tokyo Port on Thursday, the report said.

Japanese authorities found that the meat container also contained about 700 kg of round beef, which had not been ordered, according to the report.

The authorities could not confirm that the round beef had been obtained from cattle aged 20 months or less, a Japanese requirement for beef imported from the US, Kyodo reported. The Japanese requirements are designed to minimize the risk of mad cow disease.

It is the seventh time that beef imports from a US facility have been suspended since Japan conditionally lifted its import ban on US beef in 2006, according to the report.