08/08/06 U.S. beef again enroute to Japan

American Rancher August 8, 2006 The USDA last week approved the first shipments of U.S. beef to Japan since the Japanese for the second time lifted their ban on U.S. beef, at least beef from animals 20 months of age an younger. Late last week the Japanese Times quoted Japan's health minister as saying that if any specified risk material for BSE is found in any shipment of U.S. beef, all beef trade would again end instantly and the minister himself would probably have to resign from the government. Lloyd Day, administrator of the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, says under the current agreement to allow U.S. beef into Japan, only 34 plants are eligible to ship beef and they must adhere to strict guidelines. Day: "It is just starting out again. These guys have been out of the market for the last six months so they are being very careful. We have been working closely with the Food Safety Inspection Service to put in place a number of interlocking safeguards as it were, which is the term people seem to use for BSE." Day details one of the safeguards the U.S. has put in place. Day: "One of the things we are going is a second signature where the Agricultural Marketing Service actually looks at the cut of beef, the plant, a whole list of factors in order to ensure that what the Food Safety Inspection Service inspector will be signing, actually qualifies under the requirements to ship to Japan." I'm Bob Hoff.