Senator wants to ban Japan beef imports

Beef ban costing Nebraska millions of dollars, more than a thousand jobs

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP)--If Japan won't take American beef, the United States shouldn't take theirs, U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson said May 31 in North Platte.

Nelson said he planned to introduce legislation on June 5 that would end the importing of Japanese beef into the U.S. unless Japan reopens its market to American beef.

"The resumption of the beef trade is a matter of fairness," Nelson said during a news conference at North Platte Livestock on May 31. He made the same announcement at stops in Grand Island and Lincoln.

Before Japan closed its markets to U.S. beef in December 2003 when a cow in Washington state tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, Japan was the largest importer of U.S. beef and bought about $1.4 billion of beef annually. Nebraska was the leading beef-exporting state.

Japan had reopened it markets in December 2005 but then closed them less than a month later when a shipment of U.S. beef from a plant in New York contained banned spinal bones.

Nelson said one shipment shouldn't have stopped the trade.

"That would be like a Japanese vehicle breaking down and us refusing to allow the importing of all Japanese vehicles," Nelson said. "It's illogical."

In a letter to Japan's Ambassador Ryozo Kato, Nelson requested that by June 1, Japan agree to conduct its audits of U.S. facilities while it holds public meetings, and that Japan announce a date to resume beef imports of U.S. beef.

"So far, they are not yet in compliance and we've run out of patience," Nelson said.

Every Friday for 14 weeks, Nelson has written Kato expressing his desire for a "swift response from Japan now that the USDA has delivered the requested report."

If a late-June visit by the Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi does not result in the resumption of trade, Nelson said he would then proceed with the bill he plans to introduce June 5.

"The last thing I want is a vote on that legislation," Nelson said.

Nelson believes Koizumi will be ready to announce the resumption of beef trade with the U.S. when he arrives the end of June.

Nelson said there is an urgent need to resume the beef trade because of the loss of jobs and income for beef producers. Nelson's office estimates that Nebraska has lost $875 million and 1,340 beef processing jobs since Japan halted beef imports.

Nelson said Nebraska's $7 billion beef industry is important to the state's economy. He said reopening foreign markets to U.S. beef is especially important to state producers now that the cattle cycle is in a rebuilding mode and prices are lower than when the beef ban by more than 60 countries was in place.

The Japanese ban was hard on Swift & Co., spokesman Sean McHugh said, as foreign beef sales made up 16 percent of the company's sales with half of the foreign sales going to Japan. Nelson's Grand Island stop was at a Swift beef processing plant there.

North Platte veterinarian Bob Bohlender said he approved of Nelson's approach.

With Korea and other markets reopening to U.S. beef and the hoped-for resumption of trade with Japan, Bohlender said Nebraska is poised to provide as much beef as needed.

"We have met or exceeded required standards and we're ready with age and source verification," Bohlender said.

Date: 6/22/06

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