Some common sense from Nebraska

[Sandhusker]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=46&u_sid=2016871

 

[Bill]

Tell me Sandhusker, how much beef does the US normally import from Japan and how does that compare to the potential amount of US/Canadian beef going back to Japan?

The amount of North American beef which would go to Japan is huge compared to the tiny amount of Japanese that would enter North America. It's simply a gesture to reopen a very lucrative market.

Common sense? Looks just like more political BS and let's not blink first.

 

[Tommy]

NE Sen's rip USDA on JPN beef



Osborne & Nelson Take Bipartisan Shot At USDA Break For Japanese Beef

Nebraska State Paper - Nebraska News - Government

September 14, 2005



Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson and Representative Tom Osborne took a bipartisan shot Tuesday at a USDA plan to allow Japan to import boneless beef into the United States.



Japan still bars American imports because of concerns about mad cow disease.



The two sent a joint letter to Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, himself a former Nebraska governor.



"Allowing Japan greater access to markets within our own country before full resumption of trade with Japan is unfavorable to our cattle producers and unacceptable," said Osborne. "I stand with Senator Nelson in urging the USDA to delay the proposed rule until ongoing negotiations with Japan are complete and Japanese officials reopen their markets to U.S. beef."



Nelson said "it makes no sense to expand our domestic market for Japanese beef while their market for American beef remains closed."



"As we employ sound science to work our way back into the importing game, why can we not impress this sound science on other countries like Japan," said Nelson. "The fact is that the U.S. has one reported case of mad cow disease while Canada has had four and Japan has had dozens. We accept Canadian beef and now we intend to accept Japanese beef ~ but Japan won't accept American beef. I'm hoping Secretary Johanns will reconsider this decision and press the Japanese to re-open their markets to U.S. beef."



Meanwhile, Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel joined nine other Republicans in asking the USDA to reconsider allowing the Japanese imports.





nebraska.statepaper.com

 

[Sandhusker]

Tell me Sandhusker, how much beef does the US normally import from Japan and how does that compare to the potential amount of US/Canadian beef going back to Japan?

The amount of North American beef which would go to Japan is huge compared to the tiny amount of Japanese that would enter North America. It's simply a gesture to reopen a very lucrative market.

Common sense? Looks just like more political BS and let's not blink first.

We never have imported much from them. I think I read someplace that the last year we imported from them it was less than a truckload.

Quantities are not the issue. We've been making enough gestures (like accepting your beef) and that has got us nowhere.

If we want to reopen the market, a business man would ask the customer exactly what they wanted and then try to meet that demand - not tell the customer their demands are unreasonable and their laws need changed. Then again, we don't have businessmen in the USDA, we have packer lackeys.

 

[Bill]

Tell me Sandhusker, how much beef does the US normally import from Japan and how does that compare to the potential amount of US/Canadian beef going back to Japan?

The amount of North American beef which would go to Japan is huge compared to the tiny amount of Japanese that would enter North America. It's simply a gesture to reopen a very lucrative market.

Common sense? Looks just like more political BS and let's not blink first.

We never have imported much from them. I think I read someplace that the last year we imported from them it was less than a truckload.

Quantities are not the issue. We've been making enough gestures (like accepting your beef) and that has got us nowhere.

If we want to reopen the market, a business man would ask the customer exactly what they wanted and then try to meet that demand - not tell the customer their demands are unreasonable and their laws need changed. Then again, we don't have businessmen in the USDA, we have packer lackeys.

I don't disagree with your comment of giving the customer what they want however you don't understand the Japanese very well. Opening to their beef is key to them reopening to us. It is a miniscule amount that will come over but Japanese pride and protocol will not be swallowed to pander to the bullying and BS from American Senators or anyone else.

It may seem common sense to you but it will not help in reopening a badly need market