Japan halts US beef imports

News.com.au ^

[hole_n_one]

Japan halts US beef imports
From correspondents in Tokyo
December 24, 2003

JAPAN has temporarily banned the import of American beef after the US reported its first suspected case of mad cow disease, an official said today.

"We are now withholding the issuance of import permits" on US beef, said Japanese agriculture ministry spokesman Hiroaki Ogura.

"That means for now, (beef) imports have been banned."

He said the measure enacted early this morning was temporary until further information could be gathered.

US Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman announced that a cow from Washington state had tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease.

Japan is the number one export market for US beef, accounting for 32 per cent

[John W]

That didn't take long.

[Swanks]

Geez. One cow. How 'bout we embargo all Toyotas the minute one airbag fails to deploy?

[Shermy]

Japan is very in tune with supporting its domestic industries...

[StatesEnemy]

Japan is very in tune with supporting its domestic industries...

Ya.. makes ya think we musta done a great job with them post 1945. Maybe we, ourselves, could use a refresher course?

[Prodigal Son]

Hmmm. I read earlier that shares of McDonald's had already dropped in the US. People go into panic mode so easily these days. No wonder its so easy for the gov't to herd them like cattle.

[Alberta's Child]

Geez. One cow.

Well, guess what -- that was all it took for the United States to halt imports of Canadian beef last year.

Can't say I blame Japan on this one.

[Lokibob]

We did the same thing to Canada when they had their mad cow discovered. Look for every country in the planet to embargo our beef for a while.

McDonalds uses one out of every nine cows in this country.

[RugerM77]

I am a cattle producer and we (The US) has set a harsh standard in our treatment of Canadian cattle after their one case. I think and thought at the time we were making a mistake that could come back and bite us.

[Mr. Lucky]

Odd, isn't it, that the US and Japan have more stringent immigration requirements for cattle than terrorists.

[Alberta's Child]

LOL. Good point!

[denco]

As a rancher in NM I thought the same thing. Thank God I sold all my calves in the fall. I hate to think what is fixing to happen to our industry and to lots of businesses and workers here in the United States. One cow and Irresponsible owner will wreck our industry for years. denco

[Lokibob]

I think I'll go out tomorrow and get a quarter pounder, ,,,, oh, wait... this month is pork month, and January is chicken. I'll try in Feb, just call me chicken.

[torstars]

Geez. One cow.

All countries will ban meat products from the US.

[Shermy]

Maybe we, ourselves, could use a refresher course?

The halls of our Congress are infested with lobbyists wielding money to make sure that doesn't happen.

[Shermy]

One cow and Irresponsible owner will wreck our industry for years.

HOw about the fact that the govt. was "watching" the same cattle, let them be slaughtered, and isn't recalling the meat immediately?

[torstars]

People go into panic mode so easily these days.

The cattle industry and restaurant chains that specialize in meat will literally be slaughtered.

[dljordan]

I think this is just the tip of the iceberg so to speak. I believe there is more to this than is being publicized. The thing I hate is that I love a good STEAK!

[Lokibob]

You are absolutely right, Denco. This has ramifications well beyond just the cattle industry.

[Iowa Granny]

Thank God I sold all my calves in the fall.

If you're looking for something to do, my son probably has some sows for sale.