July 28, 2006

AMI welcomes Japan's resumption of beef trade with US

American Meat Institute (AMI) president J. Patrick Boyle said in a release Thursday (Jul 27) that his group welcomed the restoration of beef trade with Japan, a decision that was announced overnight, but that more work needed to be done to open the market further.

News emerged overnight that Japan was reopening its market to US beef from cattle 20 months of age and younger.

"While this agreement represents a promising first step, it falls far short of the full market reopening that is clearly justified by both the science and universally accepted standards for international trade," Boyle said.

"We urge Japan to accept the US government's invitation to meet this fall to negotiate a full resumption of beef trade. It's time that all nations embraced international animal health guidelines so needless trade disruptions like this one can be prevented," he said.

"Unfortunately for American beef producers and processors, the vast majority of the US beef supply will remain ineligible for export to Japan due to the age limit of 20 months or younger on cattle," Boyle said. "US beef is safe regardless of the age of the animal."

"We hope that this partial reopening--consisting of a limited number of approved plants and a highly restrictive list of eligible product--is the first step towards the scientifically justified full resumption of beef trade with Japan," Boyle said in the release.

World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) guidelines permit beef from cattle of all ages to be traded provided appropriate risk-mitigation measures have been taken, Boyle said. And in the US, these risk-reducing measures have been implemented.