Sandhusker
Well-known member
Nelson aims to halt beef from Japan
BY BILL HORD
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU
LINCOLN - On the eve of a self-imposed deadline, Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., said Wednesday that he will propose legislation on Monday to halt U.S. imports of Japanese beef.
Sen. Ben Nelson speaks to reporters.
Nelson told Japanese officials in April that his patience would run out today if the country had not yet reopened its borders to U.S. beef.
"Although progress has been made, I'm still disappointed that we don't yet have a final resolution," Nelson said at a press conference at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Food Processing Center.
"This is about fairness. Our beef is safe, and trade should resume immediately."
The United States imports little beef from Japan, according to Lynn Heinze, a spokesman for the U.S. Meat Export Federation in Denver. "It's a few thousand pounds for a niche market."
Most of the Japanese imports go to U.S. restaurants where Kobe beef is served. Beef from the Kobe region of Japan is considered a delicacy in that country, with heavily marbled steaks costing as much as $300 apiece.
Nelson said it didn't matter if the imports were a "pittance."
"It's about a principle," he said.
In contrast to meager imports of Japanese beef by the United States, Japan imported more than $1 billion worth of U.S. beef in 2003. Nelson said Nebraska's beef industry has lost more than $800 million in sales because of Japan's import bans.
Japan imposed a ban when the first case of mad cow disease was discovered in the United States in December 2003. Shortly after the ban was lifted two years later, the discovery of bone matter in boneless beef prompted a renewed ban.
Nelson said the bone issue was a matter of compliance, not food safety, and should not have resulted in an embargo.
Under Nelson's proposal, Japan would be given 30 days to restore trade before imports would be halted. A similar proposal by Nelson last fall, before Japan briefly resumed beef trade, was adopted by the Senate, 72-26.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns said earlier this week he was hopeful that Japan would lift the ban before the Japanese prime minister visits Washington, D.C., this month.
BY BILL HORD
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU
LINCOLN - On the eve of a self-imposed deadline, Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., said Wednesday that he will propose legislation on Monday to halt U.S. imports of Japanese beef.
Sen. Ben Nelson speaks to reporters.
Nelson told Japanese officials in April that his patience would run out today if the country had not yet reopened its borders to U.S. beef.
"Although progress has been made, I'm still disappointed that we don't yet have a final resolution," Nelson said at a press conference at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Food Processing Center.
"This is about fairness. Our beef is safe, and trade should resume immediately."
The United States imports little beef from Japan, according to Lynn Heinze, a spokesman for the U.S. Meat Export Federation in Denver. "It's a few thousand pounds for a niche market."
Most of the Japanese imports go to U.S. restaurants where Kobe beef is served. Beef from the Kobe region of Japan is considered a delicacy in that country, with heavily marbled steaks costing as much as $300 apiece.
Nelson said it didn't matter if the imports were a "pittance."
"It's about a principle," he said.
In contrast to meager imports of Japanese beef by the United States, Japan imported more than $1 billion worth of U.S. beef in 2003. Nelson said Nebraska's beef industry has lost more than $800 million in sales because of Japan's import bans.
Japan imposed a ban when the first case of mad cow disease was discovered in the United States in December 2003. Shortly after the ban was lifted two years later, the discovery of bone matter in boneless beef prompted a renewed ban.
Nelson said the bone issue was a matter of compliance, not food safety, and should not have resulted in an embargo.
Under Nelson's proposal, Japan would be given 30 days to restore trade before imports would be halted. A similar proposal by Nelson last fall, before Japan briefly resumed beef trade, was adopted by the Senate, 72-26.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns said earlier this week he was hopeful that Japan would lift the ban before the Japanese prime minister visits Washington, D.C., this month.