|
|
|
AdvertisementTaiwan's Ma seeks to calm uproar over U.S. beefTAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)--Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou moved Oct. 29 to ease a political storm over the government's decision to lift a ban on certain U.S. beef imports, saying adequate safeguards are in place to guard against bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Ma made the comments after more than 100 people protested outside the Cabinet building against the mid-October decision to remove the six-year-old ban on bone-in beef, minced beef and offal. The demonstrators demanded that Premier Wu Dun-yi either revoke the decision or resign. Health experts say while bone-in beef like Porterhouse steak may be harmless, minced beef and offal carry higher risks of BSE. But Ma says all the meat is safe, insisting that "the U.S. is committed to strict management at point of origin, even allowing Taiwanese veterinarians to inspect their slaughterhouses.'' "The government does not import nor promote the (U.S.) beef products,'' he added. "Our importers are imposing controls and you can rest assured of the product safety. There's no need to renegotiate the issue with the U.S.'' In late October, several Taiwanese meat importers pledged to impose a voluntary ban on U.S. beef and at least two local governments questioned the beef decision, believed to be a Taiwanese concession aimed at restarting talks on a free trade pact with the U.S. In 2007 talks on the deal were halted, primarily because of Taiwan's refusal to lift the bone-in-beef ban. Before the recent decision, Taiwan allowed imports of boneless beef from the U.S. Those imports were not contentious, because they were believed to be free of any BSE hazard. In lifting the bone-in beef ban, Taiwan's Health Department said only meat products from cows aged 30 months or younger approved by certified veterinarians could be imported. Taiwan purchased $128 million in beef products from the United States in 2008. Advertisement
Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2009. High Plains Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com |
Market Snapshot Inside Futures |
61418