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Japan Uneasy Over US BSE Testing System;
Johanns Says Congress Is Losing Patience
[Nov 2005? ]
- - Steve Kopperud
Media reports out of Tokyo this week indicate the Japanese government's food safety regulators are questioning U.S. beef safety after a Ministry of Agriculture study showed U.S. cattle testing methods would have missed nine out of the 20 cases of BSE confirmed in Japan.
At the same time, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns again warned Japanese authorities that Congress is losing patience with the continuing delays in resuming beef trade, speculating that when Congress returns from its August recess, it could turn to trade issues involving Japan's 19-month ban on U.S. beef imports. The House and Senate are both discussing anti-Japan resolutions that could impose sanctions on Japan if beef trade doesn't resume. Johanns' comments were made to his counterpart Yoshinobu Shimamura as a sideline conversation during WTO ministerial meetings in Dalian, China this month.
Scientists asked for more details on the second case of BSE found in the U.S. - and this nation's first native-born case - out of concern BSE animals may have reached market because they appeared healthy. Officials further acknowledged their request for additional information will likely delay any decision to reopen beef trade with the U.S.
Johanns Says Congress Is Losing Patience
[Nov 2005? ]
- - Steve Kopperud
Media reports out of Tokyo this week indicate the Japanese government's food safety regulators are questioning U.S. beef safety after a Ministry of Agriculture study showed U.S. cattle testing methods would have missed nine out of the 20 cases of BSE confirmed in Japan.
At the same time, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns again warned Japanese authorities that Congress is losing patience with the continuing delays in resuming beef trade, speculating that when Congress returns from its August recess, it could turn to trade issues involving Japan's 19-month ban on U.S. beef imports. The House and Senate are both discussing anti-Japan resolutions that could impose sanctions on Japan if beef trade doesn't resume. Johanns' comments were made to his counterpart Yoshinobu Shimamura as a sideline conversation during WTO ministerial meetings in Dalian, China this month.
Scientists asked for more details on the second case of BSE found in the U.S. - and this nation's first native-born case - out of concern BSE animals may have reached market because they appeared healthy. Officials further acknowledged their request for additional information will likely delay any decision to reopen beef trade with the U.S.
