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Japan could resume beef imports in "weeks": Johanns

Posted on: Wednesday, 21 June 2006, 15:19 CDT

By Christopher Doering

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As part of a U.S.-Japan agreement to restore beef trade, Tokyo could reject individual shipments, rather than cutting off trade altogether, as a safeguard against mad cow disease, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said on Wednesday.

Japan's January 20 suspension of U.S. beef imports came after it discovered banned spinal material in a shipment of veal from New York. U.S. farm groups have since complained Tokyo's response was overblown.

After two video-conference sessions, U.S. and Japanese officials have agreed to re-start trade after Japan inspects three dozen U.S. beef export plants to assure they followed beef safety rules.

"I don't believe that we are months away," Johanns told reporters. "I think it's more likely that we are weeks away from (U.S.) beef being back in Japan."

According to a summary of the agreement, if Japan finds shortcomings in future U.S. shipments, it "will take appropriate action commensurate with the nature of the violation."

Johanns said that could mean rejection of individual shipments and prevent minor issues from cutting off trade.

"There has to be a better way of trading than to close the whole border if there is a problem," said Johanns. "We don't close the whole border to Japanese automobiles if we have a recall."

A spokesman for the largest U.S. ranch group, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, said the language was not ironclad, so another shut-down was possible. Japan has banned U.S. beef for 28 of the past 29 months.

Meatpackers and lawmakers emphasized that Japan must open its market promptly because U.S. precautions assure its beef is safe to eat. The American Meat Institute said "the vast majority of U.S. beef" will be ineligible for sale because Japan accepts beef only from cattle aged 20 months or less.

Half a dozen senators from farm and ranch states unveiled legislation for $3 billion a year in sanctions against Japan unless sales resume by August 31. At least one senator has said the language could be added to an agricultural spending bill being drafted this week.

"Our goal is resumption of trade -- not promises that trade may resume," said sponsor Kent Conrad, a North Dakota Democrat. "We've had promises before that have turned up empty."

Japanese inspectors will begin their tours of U.S. beef processing plants this weekend, Johanns said, with audits to be completed by July 21. Japan has agreed to resume beef trade with the United States after the audits are completed.

"I want to be very realistic about this. We still have a ways to go," said Johanns.

The longtime No. 1 market for U.S. beef, Japan lifted a two-year ban on U.S. beef imports last December only to shut down its markets again a month later after its inspectors discovered banned spinal column parts in a veal shipment from New York.

In 2003, Japan imported an estimated $1.4 billion of U.S. beef.

The United States has struggled to restore beef exports to overseas markets, including South Korea and Japan, which totaled $3.8 billion annually before mad cow was first discovered in Washington state in December 2003.

South Korea has agreed to accept beef from older cattle than Japan but will bar bone-in cuts, which used to be half of its purchases.

(Additional reporting by Charles Abbott)

Source: REUTERS

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