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07/29/2006
SD Stockgrowers: Export Agreement with Japan Should Speed up COOL Rapid City – Members of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association look forward to stronger cattle markets with Japan’s agreement to once again accept beef from the United States. Japanese consumers’ desire for country of origin labeling should be met in an effort to maximize profit opportunities for US cattle producers, says South Dakota Stockgrowers Association (SDSGA) President Rick Fox, Hermosa, S.D. “Just like US consumers, Japanese consumers are asking for country of origin labeling so they can be sure they are choosing US beef, not beef from another country. They understand that the beef they import from the United States may contain beef from Canada or any of other countries that send beef here.” Fox says USDA should immediately implement country of origin labeling in order to meet the requests of Japanese and American beef consumers. “Why would we, the U.S. cattle and beef industry, want to ship beef to Japan that we have imported from Mexico, Australia, Canada or other foreign countries? We do not know what production or processing standards were met. We can not be assured that beef is top quality unless we know it was born, raised and processed right here in the U.S. Let’s implement country of origin labeling so we can send Japan what they have asked for – US beef.” Fox says that by differentiating US beef from imported beef, US and Japanese consumers will have the opportunity to choose US beef at the meat counter, providing additional marketing and profit opportunities for US cattle producers.
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