D.R. Cattle":16w2v33s said:
1 more thought. Australians are telling Japan they can pick up where US Beef left off, that they can fill our gap. That may be true, but what measures are in place to deem their beef safe moreso than US Beef? Somebody pissing in the wind?
They've never had a BSE case in Australia. That's why their beef is considered safer than ours. Here's a clip from
http://www.meatingplace.com.
"Australia says it can fill Japan's beef shortfall
by Joshua Lipsky on 1/13/04 for Meatingplace.com
Australia has assured Japanese agriculture officials that it can help fill Japan's shortfall in beef, according to Meat and Livestock Australia spokesperson Damon Whittock.
"Australia will be unable to match the complete shortfall in imports, but we have identified some capacity to supply some of the additional beef the Japanese market requires," Australian Agriculture Minister Warren Truss said in a statement.
While Australia said it would provide Japan with extra beef, the Australian government has requested that Japan lower its punitive tariffs on beef imports.
"We told them our beef exporters can certainly play a role in supplying more beef exports, but the higher tariffs in Japan are helping push prices higher," said Australian Cattle Council chief Brett de Hayr.
Tariffs on Australian beef imported into Japan rose from 38.5 percent to 50 percent on Aug. 1, 2003, under a World Trade Organization rule that allows an automatic increase if imports rise by more than 17 percent.
However, there is concern Australia will be unable to meet Japan's demand for more beef with farmers battling to recover from Australia's worst drought in 100 years and cattle numbers down by 6 percent."
I don't believe they can furnish the high quality beef that Japan got from the US and Canada. But we'll see....