Cargill beef plant banned by Japan
By Tom Johnston on 8/8/2008
Japan has banned imports of beef from Cargill Meat Solutions' Dodge City, Kan., plant following the discovery of banned ground beef in a recent shipment, USDA Press Secretary Keith Williams told Meatingplace.com.
Japanese importers found a 10-pound tube containing ground beef, which is prohibited under Japanese protocols, among a shipment of some 298 boxes totaling nearly 4 tons of U.S. beef, he confirmed.
USDA is investigating the incident, he said.
Cargill could not be reached for comment.
http://www.meatingplace.com/MembersOnly/webNews/details.aspx?item=9341
Export Requirements for Japan
JA-145 (Aug 8, 2008)
Plants Not Eligible for Export
Beef and beef offal and veal and veal offal from the following establishment are not eligible for export to Japan until further notice:
Est. 86K, Cargill Meat Solutions, Dodge City, KS is ineligible for export effective on and after August 8, 2008.*
Est. 1311, Smithfield Beef Group - Souderton, Inc. (formerly Moyer Packing Company) Souderton, PA is ineligible for export effective on and after January 11, 2008.
Est. 21488, National Beef, Brawley, CA is ineligible for export effective on and after April 23, 2008.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/Japan_Requirements/index.asp
TSS