US Industry Requests Verification of Beef Age for Korea

[Robbien]

Source: Korea Times

The U.S. beef industry Friday asked the Bush administration to introduce an age verification system for U.S. beef to be exported to South Korea as an interim measure to allay South Koreans' concerns over mad cow disease.

The move by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), representing companies that process 95 percent of red meat in the U.S., comes after a similar request by South Korean beef importers Friday that the U.S. government take measures to ensure no shipments of beef from cattle older than 30 months.

South Korea has been shaken by protests over the controversial beef deal since early May, amid public concerns over mad cow disease.

Lee's approval ratings plummeted below 20 percent after the beef row erupted. He won the December presidential election by the largest margin ever thanks to his campaign pledges to revive the faltering South Korean economy

Read more: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/06/113_26268.html

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When the US beef producers wanted to expand testing for mad cow disease, the Bush Admin said no and prosecuted any farmer who voluntarily tested all their cows.

The Bush Admin has already told Korea there is no way they would amend the trade agreement to include mandatory age testing.

There is no chance the Bush Admin will honor this request by US farmers.

[burf]

1. This will be just the

excuse to fully implement NAIS (National Animal Identification System) and put more small farmers out out of business.

[Robbien]

2. Just the opposite. Family farmers are in favor of identification and testing

It is the factory farms which oppose NAIS.

Since factory farms are the ones who have the lobbyists, congresscritters are more than willing to fight against NAIS to keep the money flowing into their pockets.

[Kali]

4. bullshit

lots of small producers are against NAIS

[burf]

6. My Congresscritter,

Colin Peterson (supposed D MN) Chairman of the House Ag Committee is in favor of NAIS. But then again, he is the same guy who when questioned about funding for organic agriculture in the new farm bill made some reference about only the hippies are concerned about organic production. If there ever was a supporter of big ag, he's the guy. IMO, we would be a whole lot better off without CAFOs than with implementing NAIS.

[sam sarrha]

3. QUIT EATING BEEF AND BEEF PRODUCTS LIKE GELITEN..!!

CJD HAS BEEN FOUND IN THE LYMPH GLANDS, PEOPLE DIE IF PRION DISEASE ALL THE TIME.. http://www.maddeer.org, independent tests have shown that up to 12% of patients in Alzheimer's wards have prion disease..CJD

[nolabels]

5. This is politics at it's finest

The health aspects of this seem good but this is more about having control than safety of food. Anybody that has spent much time on the Korean peninsula would know the way food is handled, preserved, prepared and stored over there that this is just some nationalist vent.