02/10/05 Closer to Japan; N.C.B.A. on Canada

02/10/05 Closer to Japan; N.C.B.A. on Canada

Now that a Japanese technical team has officially said that U.S.D.A.'s grading system is an acceptable method to determine age in beef, the U.S. is now one step closer to getting its beef back into Japan. Our beef has been banned since the U.S. b.s.e. case in December 2003. But U.S.D.A. Deputy Undersecretary Chuck Lambert says there is still work on the Japanese end before U.S. beef returns to that nation. LAMBERT: We are still working to get acceptance of this through the Japanese regulatory process and to develop a date certain by which product can be shipped but this is a very big milestone in moving this process forward. A prominent cattle group now is one step closer in saying that Japan and other nations must accept our beef first before we consider reopening our border to Canadian cattle and beef products. That is one of eleven conditions The National Cattlemen's Beef Association leadership unanimously approved this week for U.S.D.A. to meet before allowing Canadian live cattle back in. Other conditions include eliminating part of U.S.D.A.'s minimal b.s.e. risk rule that would allow Canadian beef over thirty months of ag back into the U.S., resolving other trade issues with Canada such as blue tongue, and keeping U.S.D.A stamps and grading off any Canadian beef product. Now the N.C.B.A. membership must vote whether to approve or reject all policy decisions reached during last week's Cattle Industry Convention. The ballots are scheduled to be sent to N.C.B.A. members next week. Now with today's "Food Forethought", here's Susan Allen. ALLEN: This year Food Forethought launched the Agtivist program in order to equip individuals to speak the truth about American Agriculture. Oscar season caused me to reflect on the fact that we should honor our "agtivist of the year" and first nomination would just have to go to rancher Jim Chilton of Tucson Arizona for taking on the well known environmental group Center for Biological Diversity and winning. A Tucson jury found the center guilty of making false, unfair, libelous statements against the rancher. Mr. Chilton was awarded $100,000 in actual damages and $500,000 in punitive for defaming both himself and his family business. In true "agtivist" spirit the rancher who sued the group for using scare tactics not sound science while trumping endangered species merely to raise money for their own goals said the case was about truth not money and will donate all funds remaining after his legal fees are paid to the Arizona Cattle Growers Association to be used top spread truth about cattle grazing issues. Jim Chilton a fifth generation Arizona rancher fits our definition of an agtivist.
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