09/26/05 End in sight for Japan`s beef ban?

American Rancher September 26, 2005 The U.S. Senate last week approved two separate measures that would prevent the USDA from allowing Japanese beef into the United States until Japan lifts its ban on American beef. During a Senate Ag Committee hearing on trade issues last week, Committee Chairman Saxby Chambliss told Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns that lawmakers are fed up with Japan's 20 month old ban. Chambliss: "It is very frustrating to us and we hope you will be able to use that to exhibit the frustration here in your future discussions with the Japanese." The Bush Administration had opposed those Senate measures on Japanese beef, but Secretary Johanns responded that he warned the Japanese about congressional impatience on the issue and insisted the Japanese ban on U.S. beef can't last much longer.. Johanns: "I sat down with the new Ag Minister. They have a new minister over there. And we literally went through their chart on the process of re-opening the border and quite simply they are running out of process. I mean they are at the end of the process chart here. So it appears to me that the end is in sight." U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman agreed with the "end is in sight" assessment. He said having smaller countries reopen to U.S. beef has helped ratchet up the pressure on Japan and South Korea, formerly the number one and three markets for U.S. beef exports. I'm Bob Hoff.