September 13, 2010

Japan-US beef talks to be delayed

Talks between the US and Japan regarding conditions for the beef trade are likely to be resumed in late September, according to trade reports.

The working level discussions were initially planned for early this month, but were reportedly delayed due to the ruling Democratic Party of Japan's presidential election scheduled for next week.

US and Japan agriculture and health officials are scheduled to meet on September 14 and 15 in San Francisco. In 2007, US was given a "controlled-risk" rating for mad-cow disease by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The rating allows the US to trade cattle of any age, but Japan plans to continue importing cattle 20 months old or younger.

Prior to the mad-cow disease outbreak in 2003, Japan was the largest foreign buyer of US beef. With the limited imports to Japan, companies like Tyson Foods Inc. and Cargill Inc. lose sales of about US$1 billion each year.