08/28/06 Agroterrorism & Benzene Settlement

Agroterrorism & benzene settlement. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. The International Symposium on Agroterrorism is still a month away - but U.S. Ag Secretary Mike Johanns - addressed the issue in Washington Thursday. Speaking at a national meeting of law enforcement and security experts - Johanns explained that the U.S. must do everything it can to avoid shaking the confidence of its customers. JOHANN: We're a major supplier of food for the world. You shake people's confidence in that and my goodness; you've got a serious problem. But I believe we are making a great deal of progress in increasing our safeguards and in mitigating that threat. Makers of two kids` drinks have eliminated ingredients in their products that can form cancer-causing benzene, as part of a settlement of lawsuits filed by parents. Parents sued Atlanta-based In Zone Brands Inc., maker of BellyWashers, and Preston, Washington-based TalkingRain Beverage Co., over drinks containing benzene, which has been linked to leukemia. The drink makers denied that their products caused any harm. But they agreed in April and May to change their ingredients, after the suit was filed. They also agreed to refund or replace drinks made before the switch in ingredients. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Susan Allen. Beef, it is still what's not for dinner in Japan. If it wasn't for Costco, American beef in Japan would be a rare as a raw steak. But thanks to the five stores throughout the nation, US beef retains somewhat of presence in the meat case and Costco reports sales of US beef as strong because they cater to well-traveled Japanese who by in bulk. Other Japanese supermarkets have stopped carrying our beef, because it seems the Japanese people can not be convinced that our meat is safe. Now how could they when the Japanese health minister, Mr. Obayashi smugly commented to an AP reporter that "It's not our job to promote American beef "It's ok if no one buys US beef.. Hum, I wonder how smug he would be if we Americans decided 'It's okay Mr. Obayashi if no one buys "sushi" or Toyotas, or Minoltas or Toshibas " Come on isn't that the right thing to do a country snubs our products? Boycott theirs? We won't, we are fickle, soft and spoiled and sadly the majority of us have lost any connection to the farm and ranch. So at the very least, thank your Costco for continuing to support our cattlemen. Thanks Susan. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.