San Francisco -- Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said he is uncertain when U.S. processors will be able to resume beef exports to Japan, though he noted that USDA is fully cooperating with Japan on any questions it has regarding a Tokyo-bound shipment of U.S. veal that contained banned vertebral parts.
"At this point, [setting an exact date for reopening the border] is more in [Japan's] hands than mine," Johanns said Thursday in a keynote address at the National Meat Association's 60th Annual Convention. "They have a 450-page report resulting from our investigation into the veal shipment, and our investigators are working with the Japanese to answer any questions they have as quickly and thoroughly as possible."
Johanns acknowledged that Japanese Agriculture Minister Shoichi Nakagawa characterized the USDA report as "insufficient," but added, "We expected that. We knew they would have questions, and we'll deal with them."
Johanns reiterated that the veal shipment, exported by Brooklyn-based Atlantic Veal and Lamb, was the result of a company employee and FSIS inspector who didn't understand Japan's export requirements. "Among other steps we've taken, we are requiring additional training for all FSIS inspectors involved with U.S. meat exports, not simply those involved with exporting to Japan," Johanns said.
While acknowledging the border closure was a setback for U.S. processors and producers, Johanns said the meat industry had made major strides in the last year with the reopening of South Korea, Hong Kong and other markets to U.S. beef. "Just last month, Mexico opened its market to bone-in beef," he said. "The world is showing confidence in the safety of U.S. beef."
In a separate press conference at the event, Johanns noted that many believe Japan overreacted by closing its border to U.S. beef in January, upon discovery of the vertebral parts at a Tokyo airport. "It's been asked whether we should halt imports of automobiles on the basis of a single defective car part, and I believe it's a fair question," Johanns said. "If every country closed its borders on the basis of a single defect in a single product, world trade would ground to a halt."
Prepared for Avian flu
During the press conference, Johanns said it would be "almost biblical" to believe that the Avian flu virus HN51 won't make its way to the United States, given that it is spread by migratory birds. "But HN51 would not signal a pandemic here. The virus is very efficient in spreading from bird to bird, but very inefficient in spreading from bird to human," he said. "And, so far, we know of no transmission from human to human, which would mark a true pandemic."
Johanns also said is highly unlikely that an infected bird would enter the U.S. food chain. "The chance of that is so slim," he said. "When birds have it, you know they have it because flocks start dying. And we have plans in place to eradicate flocks if and when it becomes necessary. If the virus shows up here tomorrow, it wouldn't be cause for panic. We have a plan in place to deal with it."
Source John Gregerson on Friday, March 03, 2006, Meatingplace.com