Safety of U.S. Beef doesn't last a month in Japan

Monday, February 20, 2006
Meatingplace.com

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, in a press conference early Friday timed to be available to Japanese press and authorities, revealed results of USDA's investigation of the shipment of veal that effectively re-closed the Japanese market a month after it reopened.

According to Johanns, not only did the shipment, from Atlantic Lamb and Veal of Brooklyn, N.Y., and its sister company, Golden Veal of Ohio, contain forbidden spinal material, it also contained veal offal that Golden Veal, the actual supplier, had not been certified to export to Japan. Additionally, the quantity of offal was greater than could be expected from the 21 calves slaughtered by Golden Veal after it was certified on Jan. 6. Said Johanns, "We know some of the offal had to have come from animals slaughtered before the plant was certified to ship product to Japan."

Johanns blamed personnel at the two plants, but also criticized inspectors from the Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Agricultural Marketing Service. All in-plant inspectors will undergo additional training before any more shipments are made to Japan, Johanns pledged. Additionally, blanket export permits will end, and plants will receive export certificates good for specific cuts or products only.

Johanns pointed out that the paperwork for the shipment specifically noted that the boxes contained hotel rack of veal and offal, which should have alerted inspectors reviewing the invoices. He added that the veal program was very recent and unfamiliar to inspectors and that only those two plants had been authorized to export veal products, so it was their first experience with exporting to Japan.

A copy of the 475-page report was delivered to Japanese officials as Johanns spoke. In Japan, Shoichi Nakagawa, agriculture minister, met with U.S. Ambassador Thomas Scheiffer and said that the government was in no hurry to reopen the market and that the report would be studied carefully.

Johanns said that if Japan has questions after reviewing the report, he would send senior USDA officials to Japan or welcome a Japanese delegation