April 4, 2008

Japan resumes imports of beef from Smithfield plant

Japan lifted its ban on beef imports from Smithfield Foods' plant in Tolleson, Arizona.

The restriction was put in place in February after a 20-tonne shipment of beef shoulder from the Smithfield plant included 700 kilogrammes of round beef, which had not been ordered and could not be verified as having come from cattle younger than 21 months.

Smithfield can now export beef to Japan after the USDA reported to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries that the mixed loading occurred when one truck transported shipments to Japan and other destinations.

The factory promised to disallow the trucking method in the future.