News & Events | Japan, United States Reach Agreement To Resume Beef Trade

Japan

Japan, United States Reach Agreement To Resume Beef Trade

The agreement reached today in Tokyo between Japan and the United States to resume beef trade was hailed as an important first step by U.S. Meat Export Federation President & CEO Philip Seng, “but there remains significant work to be done.

“We enthusiastically look forward to U.S. beef exports flowing back to our No. 1 market, thanks to this agreement. We are confident in the safety of U.S. beef and USMEF stands ready to continue our work with USDA, its Foreign Agricultural (FAS), Agricultural Marketing (AMS) and Food Safety and Inspection (FSIS) services to provide Japanese authorities with the additional proof they need that our system can provide the products they demand. And, as a result of these discussions, we believe the Japanese can be confident that the beef they will receive from the United States will be some of the safest provided by any supplier worldwide.”

Seng applauded the efforts of Under-Secretary J.B. Penn, his USDA team and other industry players who have worked so diligently to reach this accord. “We understand there is still hard work to do and we stand ready to do our part in the United States and in Japan, where our staff is already working with our Embassy and our valued industry partners to re-launch U.S. beef.” Seng said USMEF also is encouraged by the fact that Penn’s delegation now will move to Taiwan and Korea for talks with these governments aimed at reopening trade there as well.

Seng said USMEF must study the agreement with Japan further and consult with U.S. officials before it can accurately estimate how much U.S. beef can begin to be shipped and how soon, but said USMEF remains fully committed to re-establishing full trade as soon as possible. Based on the joint statement issued in Tokyo, the agreement appears to allow the United States to export beef and beef products from cattle of under 20 months of age to Japan, based on production record age verification on an interim basis. Longer term, the United States will study other methods of accurately determining age and, with Japanese agreement, can move to alternative age determination methods.

“The agreement calls for the re-establishment of a beef verification program (BEV) similar to what was in place in 2003, but with new requirements. USMEF worked closely with USDA-AMS to help our members – large and small – to comply with that BEV program and stands ready to begin immediately the hard work incorporating the changes called for in the new agreement,” added Seng. “We also stand ready to work with our valued Japanese customers to re-invigorate consumer confidence in U.S. beef. Also, as we read the joint statement, many of the requirements are temporary. The ongoing 18-month surveillance program being conducted by the USDA has found no BSE cases in the U.S. herd. At the end of this period we trust all restrictions on U.S. beef exports will end.

“Both the United States and Japan have agreed that their respective food safety systems are sufficiently robust to assure that the potential of additional cases in either country will not interrupt future trade,” adds Seng.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn, sorghum and soybean checkoff programs.

– USMEF –

The USDA media materials, including a statement by Secretary Veneman are available at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.latestreleases/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JN/.p/5_2_4TR/.d/0/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JN_navid=LATEST_RELEASES&PC_7_2_5JN_parentnavid=NEWSROOM&PC_7_2_5JN_navtype=RT#7_2_5JN