American Beef Exports

Moves are underfoot to pressure Japan to allow American beef exports. After the outbreak of mad cow disease in 2003, Japan blocked imports of beef but in 2006 relaxed the rules on US beef exports to permit cattle under 20 months old to be consumed.

American Beef Exports

The limit on cattle 20 months or younger has no scientific basis according to US scientists but Japan insists that the older cows are more prone to mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The reason the Obama administration is pushing so hard for a relaxation on the regulations is that the current laws are costing the US over $1 billion to the American beef industry, and it would be a massive victory for Obama to secure more trade and jobs for one of America’s central industries.

American politicians have been pressuring Japan with both scientific evidence and a discussion demonstrating the American government’s leniency on the Toyota safety scandal. Japan swiftly banned US beef imports in the wake of only one infected cow imported to the US from Canada, whereas Toyota remain permitted to export cars to the US despite their faulty cars killing US citizens. Not one American cow has killed or infected any Japanese consumer so the Americans are arguing that the ban is wholly unfair.

There could be hope too from Taiwan, where the government just passed legislation letting American beef parts such as tongue, genitalia, tendon and skirts from cattle less than 30 months old to enter the country. Though the opposition wants the Taiwan US beef ban to remain in place their desires are unlikely to be met. Asians have been very skeptical of the UK and America’s practices on beef after it was discovered that BSE is the direct result of feeding cows meat when clearly the animal is a strict vegetarian.

The Obama administration are hopeful that American beef exports to Japan will resume and are willing to increase the age of the cattle allowed in incremental steps in a move designed to allay fears to the Japanese government and consumer. With America BSE free, and the age of the cattle having no scientific basis things could change soon.