07/31/06 Japan Opens Market

Japan Opens Beef Market. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. Late last week Ag Secretary Mike Johanns announced that beef trade with Japan was resuming. JOHANNS: What we ask of all of our trading partners including Japan is that they trade in compliance with OIE standards. We're working to get our system in compliance with OIE standards and we're asking our friends from around the world to do the same including Japan so my hope is that once we get the market restarted and operating well we can get to a discussion of compliance with the OIE standards. We need to do that, we need to expect that of our trading partners and we're not asking anything special of Japan, that's what we would ask of everyone else out there that trades in beef. While Japan's decision to reopen is great news for American beef producers and processors the announcement does not guarantee that US beef processors can quickly regain their market share. Currently, Australia and New Zealand have over 80% of the Japanese beef market. According to recent public opinion polls, a large majority of Japanese consumers are extremely cautious when it comes to purchasing and eating US beef. In addition to consumer resistance, there has been a decline in Japan's per capita beef consumption since the ban was put in place December 23, 2003. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Susan Allen. The heat wave we have been experiencing in the Northwest has been tough for many in agriculture but there is one, often overlooked segment of farming being devastated by heat, oyster farmers. Now you would think the little critters basking in the tepid waters of Puget Sound would fare better than a hot chicken or wilted lettuce but as the temperatures rise above 90 degrees bacteria prosper and bacteria combined with low tides can wreck havoc on an oyster farmer's crop. State Health officials have closed several oyster beds in the Hood Canal and Olympia area and are cautioning the public to refrain from eating raw oysters. In the last three weeks we have had the highest outbreak of illnesses attributed to raw oysters in nine years, over 50 people have been sickened. So no matter how enticing a cold beer and raw oysters sound, go for the beer but skip the oysters until the temperature drops. Thanks Susan. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.