August 18, 2005

US considers resuming Japanese beef imports

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has made a proposal to resume imports of Japanese Kobe beef, following the ban on Japanese beef in 2001 after the country discovered its first case of mad cow disease.

Japanese boneless cuts of beef from government certified plants that did not use certain stunning methods to kill cattle would be allowed, according to the USDA.

As part of an agreement reached with Japan, the USDA agreed to conduct a risk assessment on Japan's Kobe beef, with a view of resuming beef trade between both countries.

However, the USDA denied the move was an effort to try and get Japan to resume its US beef imports in return.

Meanwhile, cattle group R-CALF USA, said it opposed the move due to health safety concerns.