U.S. to allow beef plant inspections by Japan

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

U.S. to allow beef plant inspections by Japan

14 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a step aimed at expanding beef
trade with Japan, the United States will allow Japanese
inspections of U.S. beef plants, the Agriculture Department
said late on Monday.

Audits of processing plant will begin as soon as possible,
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said in a statement.

"Once the verification process is complete, Japan will
discontinue its requirement of inspecting 100 percent of
the boxes of beef shipped from U.S. plants," he said.

The announcement comes days ahead of Japanese Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe's first official visit to Washington.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070424/pl_nm/usa_japan_inspections_dc_1

[Kagemusha]

1. We'll see what this Mike Johanns says after the lobby's finished with him

I don't think this is a decision that'll last long, personally. It's too shocking. This is not how US agriculture does business.

[babylonsister]

2. Could that have anything to do with the concern of the Japanese vs.

the lack of concern from the FDA/admin? Or is this agency stretched so thin there's no recourse?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=727929

[cliss]

3. I don't believe this statement,

"Japan will discontinue its requirement of inspecting 100% of the boxes shipped from US plants".

Japan, like other countries, inspects everything that is imported into its country. There are stricter requirements (obviously) for meat products than, say, paper products. But they are required to do so.

So what happens if there is something wrong with the freezing mechanism on the ship? Or if the product sits on the dock for too long and thaws? Japan has a LONG history of problems with US beef. After prohibiting the stuff for about 2 years, the FIRST shipment of US beef has cow entrails in it & is contaminated. They rejected the shipment, and the beef industry was in paroxysms again.

(I'm an exporter, so I know a little bit about this.) And the US beef industry is at fault, consistently, every damn time.

I think this is completely bull-crap lying by Johanns. He's obviously trying to placate the industry. But it won't help. Stupid, stupid.

[catnhatnh]

4. This is actually funny shit....

the dollar is in the toilet,jobs are at an all time low in terms of pay,security, and availability.Now the Japanese will inspect here to facilitate the shipping of US beef since we are incapable of providing even basic food safety....all this of course to blow off increasingly worthless US currency and get one of the few things of value still produced here....and GOOD LUCK bidding against the Japanese for beef.

[Art_from_Ark]

5. I wonder how many Japanese will make the switch back to US beef

Australian beef seemed to have little trouble filling the gap left by the ban on US beef.