05/31/06 Japan trade comments

Japan Trade Comments One of our trading partners is beginning to rub cattlemen the wrong way. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be right back with some comments on that trade relationship. The U.S. and Japan have been big trading partners for many years and we still conduct a great amount of trade with Japan. But, one U.S. commodity is taking an undeserved backseat in Japan right now and that's American beef. Japan closed U.S. beef imports for two years over a Canadian cow imported into the U.S. that tested positive for BSE. This was at a time when Japan's own BSE cases were being confirmed on a regular basis. Japan did resume U.S. beef imports in December 2005 but banned them again in January 2006 after a shipment that violated trade protocol was ordered by a Japanese customer and delivered by a U.S. firm. This new ban seems to have gone past the point of concerns over the safety of U.S. beef or even regulations pertaining to cuts of beef accepted by the trade agreements. The real thorn in the side of American cattlemen is the fact the U.S. still imports Japanese beef. At least one U.S. Senator, Conrad Burns of Montana, is fed up with Japan's unwillingness to expedite negotiations to again import U.S. beef. Senator Burns has written very firm letters to Japan's U.S. ambassador and to USDA Secretary Mike Johanns outlining his concerns and possible trade readjustments. I think more U.S. lawmakers should follow his lead. I'm Jeff Keane. Western Livestock Reporter 5/10/06