10/14/05 Japanese beef imports

Japanese Beef Imports Recently, USDA decided we should import beef from Japan. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be back in one minute with some comments on this plan. About a month ago I told you about a plan the USDA had figured out that I thought was just a little south of silly. The idea was to open U.S. borders to importation of Japanese beef and beef products. Now I could never really figure out the value of this plan since Japan has not accepted U.S. beef after one case of BSE from a cow of Canadian origin was reported in 2003. Japan has had multiple cases of confirmed BSE since then. I read an article this week that made me feel I wasn't the only one that thought the USDA plan held no merit. Senator Ben Nelson, Democrat, from Nebraska just introduced Senate Amendment 1732 to the 2006 Agriculture appropriation bill, H R 2744. The Senate voted 72 to 26 in favor of the amendment. This stops Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns from spending any appropriation funds for rule making that would allow the importation of Japanese beef unless the President certifies to Congress that Japan has allowed U.S. beef to be imported into Japan. Maybe, just maybe, this one amendment will let some lawmakers and our international trade negotiators step back and actually see how one-sided some U.S. foreign trade policies can be against American producers. I'm Jeff Keane. Western Livestock Reporter 9/28/05