U.S., Japan to Resume Beef Trade After Mad Cow Scare

TOKYO, Japan, October 26, 2004 (ENS) - Japan has agreed to temporarily resume imports of U.S. beef from cattle 20 months of age and younger, easing a 10 month suspension of all beef from the United States imposed after a case of mad cow disease was found last December. The United States has agreed to resume imports of Japanese beef as well.

Under the framework agreement, full beef trade could resume after a review of the United States' enhanced livestock surveillance system, according to a joint statement issued by both countries October 23 in Tokyo following three days of talks.

The enhanced system was hammered out following the discovery in December 2003 of a single case of mad cow disease, formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Washington state, and after months of joint scientific consultations.

The system will be reviewed by the United States, Japan, the World Health Organization, and the World Organization for Animal Health in July 2005.

Cattle affected by BSE experience progressive degeneration of the nervous system. Nervousness or aggression, abnormal posture, incoordination and difficulty in rising, decreased milk production, and loss of weight despite continued appetite are followed by death. (Photo by Dr. Art Davis courtesy APHIS)

The livestock surveillance system includes procedures for confirming the age of cattle and certification of the removal of risk materials from carcasses, both countries said.

"Japan is a very important market for U.S. agriculture. It's our second largest market overall, and it was our number one market for beef and beef products," said Dr. J.B. Penn, under secretary of agriculture for farm and foreign agricultural services, briefing journalists in Toyko.

U.S. beef exports to Japan amounted to $1.7 billion in 2003, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) fact sheet.

The agreement was welcome news to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). Jan Lyons, NCBA President and beef producer from Manhattan, Kansas, said, "It is an important first step toward regaining full access to the largest export market for U.S. beef, and it serves as a gateway for worldwide resumption of U.S. beef exports."

U.S. imports of mostly high quality Kobe beef were interrupted in 2001 when Japan found cases of BSE in its livestock herd, and now Japan wishes to resume exports to the United States. The Japanese had previously insisted that all U.S. beef cattle must be inspected for BSE, as all Japanese cattle are.

It is cattle 30 months and older that are usually stricken with BSE, so the restriction of trade to animals 20 months and younger has satisfied the Japanese that the beef they import from the United States will be safe.

Agricultural economist Dr. J.B. Penn is under secretary of agriculture for farm and foreign agricultural services. (Photo courtesy USDA)

Penn explained that 81 percent of the 35 million animals that are slaughtered each year in the United States are 20 months or younger.

But the only sure way to know the age of a beef animal is to have a birth certificate for each and every single animal, Penn acknowledged. Since beef production in the United States means large herds of animals spread over wide geographic areas, that is not possible, he said.

Some U.S. animals do have individual birth records, there are herd birth records and artificial insemination birth records as well. To augment these records, the U.S. and Japanese negotiators agreed to use a grading system which looks at the particular characteristics of the carcass and determines the animal's age.

"We had a lot of discussion about the efficacy of such a system and reliably determining an animal's age," said Penn, "and as a result, we are conducting a special scientific study, in collaboration with Japanese experts, to show the accuracy and reliability of these grading standards."

The objective is to ensure that only animals 20 months or younger are made available to the Japanese market.

Cattle on a U.S. ranch (Photo courtesy USDA)

Trade will begin "in a matter of weeks," Penn said, explaining that, "Risk assessments, plant inspections, the regulatory processes that both countries have must be completed before actual shipments can resume."

"Another key element is that we have agreed to continue the joint scientific consultations," Penn said.

Before trade can resume, the Japanese authorities must change the regulation requiring 100 percent BSE testing to one requiring testing only for animals 21 months and older. Regulations to permit importation of beef from animals 20 months and younger also must be promulgated.

Japan has requested to resume its sales to the U.S. market. USDA officials have indicated that they will begin a rulemaking process to allow the trade relationship. This will entail a risk assessment by the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service and the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service, as well as inspection of Japanese processing facilities.

The cattlemen are confident that they can eventually resume a full trading relationship with Japan. “In 1990, the United States was the first country in the world to begin a surveillance program for BSE without having a case within our borders," said NCBA Chief Executive Officer Terry Stokes. "Today, the USDA is implementing an expanded testing program and has tested more than 92,000 cattle since June 1 with no cases of BSE identified."