Jan 6, 2006 1:53 am US/Mountain
U.S. Beef Ban Lifted In Japan After Mad Cow Scare
by Mike Hooker
GREELEY, Colo. (CBS4) ―
More countries may soon follow Japan's lead in opening their markets to Colorado beef. Japan recently lifted a ban on U.S. beef imports that were once barred because of mad cow disease.
"Where we are today is the first shipments to Japan have been made," Senator Wayne Allard told leaders at Swift & Company in Greeley.
Allard said that U.S. beef, like Swift processes, is the safest in the world. He also said that during negotiations with Japan, he mentioned the irony of Japan's 18 mad cow cases.
"I just pointed out to them that they had so many more cases of mad cow disease in Japan than what we had in the United States with just one animal," Allard said. "How could they justify feeding Japanese beef and not feeding American beef and making the statement that Japanese beef was safer?"
Allard said that South Korea is expected to move towards allowing U.S. beef again in what was a $600 million market for U.S. producers. For now, Japan is only allowing the youngest animals, which is a small fraction of U.S. cattle.
"It's particularly important because, while Japan is limited U.S. beef to under 20 months cattle, we think Korea will only limit it to under 30 months," said Sam Rovit, Swift & Company's CEO and president.
"Both Hong Kong and Thailand have re-opened their doors to U.S. beef, looking at what Japan has done, and they kind of follow the lead," Allard said.
The senator also said Thailand is still working out some details before lifting its beef ban.
South Korea could do the same since it's the world's third largest importer of U.S. beef.
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