Japan to Watch U.S. Reaction to Meatpacker's Plea for Blanket Test
Kyodo News, March 23, 2006
TOKYO, March 23, Mar 23, 2006 (Kyodo via COMTEX) -- Japan will pay close attention to how the U.S. government reacts to an American meatpacker's stepped-up calls for permission to voluntarily test all its cattle for mad cow disease for exports, a top agricultural ministry official said Thursday.
But the Japanese government has no intention of asking Washington to test all American cattle for exports to Japan, Vice Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Mamoru Ishihara said at a press conference.
Ishihara made the comments following Kansas-based Creekstone Farms Premium Beef LLC's announcement the previous day that it would file a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture in a bid to seek such permission.
According to the major U.S. producer known for its high-quality Black Angus beef, the USDA has refused over two years to allow it to conduct the blanket testing for the brain-wasting illness, formally called bovine spongiform encephalopathy, in line with requests by Japanese and other consumers.
Ishihara said it will be difficult for Japan to accept Creekstone Farms' voluntary testing of all cattle as authentic without the U.S. government's involvement because "quarantine is subject to rules set through inter-government negotiations."
Creekstone Farms has been lobbying for USDA permission since Japan imposed an import ban on U.S. beef in December 2003, when the United States discovered its first BSE case.
In 2004, the USDA turned down Creekstone Farms' request, arguing the blanket testing has "no scientific grounds" -- a position also maintained during its negotiations with Japan.
The USDA has refused to accept Tokyo's demand to test all cattle for exports to Japan, thus eventually leading Japan to cave in and even to ease its domestic blanket-test requirements despite strong opposition, mainly among consumer groups.
Kyodo News, March 23, 2006
TOKYO, March 23, Mar 23, 2006 (Kyodo via COMTEX) -- Japan will pay close attention to how the U.S. government reacts to an American meatpacker's stepped-up calls for permission to voluntarily test all its cattle for mad cow disease for exports, a top agricultural ministry official said Thursday.
But the Japanese government has no intention of asking Washington to test all American cattle for exports to Japan, Vice Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Mamoru Ishihara said at a press conference.
Ishihara made the comments following Kansas-based Creekstone Farms Premium Beef LLC's announcement the previous day that it would file a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture in a bid to seek such permission.
According to the major U.S. producer known for its high-quality Black Angus beef, the USDA has refused over two years to allow it to conduct the blanket testing for the brain-wasting illness, formally called bovine spongiform encephalopathy, in line with requests by Japanese and other consumers.
Ishihara said it will be difficult for Japan to accept Creekstone Farms' voluntary testing of all cattle as authentic without the U.S. government's involvement because "quarantine is subject to rules set through inter-government negotiations."
Creekstone Farms has been lobbying for USDA permission since Japan imposed an import ban on U.S. beef in December 2003, when the United States discovered its first BSE case.
In 2004, the USDA turned down Creekstone Farms' request, arguing the blanket testing has "no scientific grounds" -- a position also maintained during its negotiations with Japan.
The USDA has refused to accept Tokyo's demand to test all cattle for exports to Japan, thus eventually leading Japan to cave in and even to ease its domestic blanket-test requirements despite strong opposition, mainly among consumer groups.
