Grand Island Independent - National Cattlemen Group Votes to Support Nelson's Ban on Japanese Beef

Grand Island Independent - National Cattlemen Group Votes to Support Nelson's Ban on Japanese Beef

June 15, 2006 Thursday
Grand Island Independent

Legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., to ban Japanese beef imports received National Cattlemen's Beef Association support on Wednesday if Japan doesn't immediately resumed beef trade with the United States.

The committee voted in unanimous support of the legislation introduced by Nelson on June 5, which would ban importation of any beef from Japan into the United States until Japan reopens its border to U.S. beef.

Nelson said he is "grateful" for the cattlemen's support.

"They know better than anyone how badly the one-sided beef embargo has hurt the U.S. economically," he said.

In Nebraska alone, Nelson said, the Japanese ban cost the state $875 million and the loss of 1,300 jobs.

Nelson said the NCBA endorsement came on the same day that Japan completed a series of public meetings aimed at resuming American beef imports.

"The next step is for Japan to inspect U.S. beef facilities that are authorized to ship to Japan," he said. "Japan has not provided a timeline for conducting its inspections, and I will continue to push Japan to conduct these inspections as quickly as possible."

Nelson said President Bush and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will be meet later this month when Koizumi visits the United States.

"I would expect to hear the prime minister announce that Japan will be resuming imports of U.S. beef soon," Nelson said. "If not, I will begin the process to enact the legislation I already introduced that would ban Japanese beef imports by the U.S.

"It's a matter of fairness. If they don't accept our beef, which is the safest in the world, we shouldn't accept theirs."

If Japan decides to allow U.S. beef back in, exports may not begin until late July, once advance inspections of U.S. slaughter facilities are completed by Japanese food safety personnel.

Japan ceased all imports of U.S. beef in December 2003, following discovery of the first U.S. case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease. The market reopened to a limited range of products in December 2005 but was closed again in January following a technical violation of trade specifications by one U.S. plant on a single shipment of veal.

While Japan continues to ban U.S. beef, this United States is allowing Japanese Kobe beef into this country. That market represents less than $1.5 million annually.

While the United States has had three positive cases of mad cow disease, Japan has had more than 20 cases of mad cow.

Prior to the ban, Japan was the largest purchaser of U.S. beef at more than $1.4 billion annually. While Japan has banned U.S. beef, it continues to be a leading importer of U.S. agricultural goods. Last year, the United States exported $8 billion in agricultural products to Japan. Total U.S. exports to Japan were about $55 billion.

In 2004, the United States imported $129.6 billion worth of goods from Japan.

NCBA President Mike John of Huntsville, Mo., said his organization would like to resolve trade difference with Japan based on sound science involving mad cow disease and not retaliation.

But John said repeated delays by Japan have forced cattlemen to support more aggressive action, such as Nelson's legislation.

"The last thing we want is a trade war, but at some point, you just have to say, 'Enough is enough,'" he said.

John said trade will only benefit America's cattle industry if trading partners act with integrity and accountability.

"There comes a time when we must demand cooperation and fair treatment by our trading partners," he said. "It's about time they displayed some leadership and integrity as well."

John said the issue is about more than just beef.

"This is about the United States being productive and not settling for being a consumer nation," he said. "To do that, we must demand that our products are given fair treatment in the world market, and we are calling for immediate retaliatory measures if the border remains shut."

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