01/27/05 Johanns` priority

Mike Johanns Priority Well it looks like Mike Johanns should become the next Secretary of Agriculture and I hope he can carry out his first priority project. I'm Jeff Keane and I'll tell you about that project right after this. After Nebraska governor Mike Johanns' Senate Agriculture Committee hearing the first week of January it was clear that he had the committee's unanimous support and that he has a top priority project --- reopen the Japanese market to U.S. beef. I think that is one of the more important issues and foundation blocks to keep the U.S. beef industry economy rolling along. Johanns didn't give a specific plan to persuade the Japanese government to reopen their country to U.S. beef, but he did say this issue convinced him to accept the job as Secretary of Agriculture. With a strong commitment to the problem I believe he should come up with a successful plan. While J. B. Penn, agricultural undersecretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, has done a lot of hard work on the technical talks, Johanns feels the issue needs his personal time and effort. Reopening U.S.Japanese beef trade would definitely maintain the optimistic attitude of the U.S. cattle industry markets. Opening this export market would probably pave the way to regain beef exports to other countries, which would help U.S. beef packers, and feeders acquire more support to reopen Canadian live cattle imports to the U.S. If Johanns can get Japan's market reopened, America's beef industry will play a large part in recovering a positive agricultural balance of trade. I'm Jeff Keane.