Japan mulls cuts to tariffs on pork, beef imports from US

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  Japan is considering plans to cut tariffs on a certain amount of pork and beef imports from the United States.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Japan is considering plans to cut tariffs on a certain amount of pork and beef imports from the United States over a period of 10 years, as part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
  The potential TPP agreement is a free trade deal among 12 nations, which account for about 40 percent of the global economy.
  According to Nikkei business daily, Japan plans to propose the TPP quotas in which it would accept certain products including beef, pork, dairy and rice at low or no tariffs. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has committed to protect certain farm markets such as beef, pork, along with dairy, wheat and sugarcane, under the TPP.
  Japan is planning to set TPP quota for beef at 500,000 tons annually, while the quota for pork will be at around 500,000 to 600,000.
  Reuters Africa reported that the tariff on beef would be reduced to about 10 percent from the current 38.5 percent for more than 10 years. However, the tariffs will be increased for imports beyond the given quota in order to protect domestic producers.
  Japan imports over 760,000 metric tons of pork annually, with the U.S. and Canada accounting for more than 60 percent, Nikkei reported.

US responds to Russia's ban on meat imports

United States Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk today issued the following statement in response to Russia's suspension of U.S. meat imports:
"The United States is very disappointed that Russia has taken action to suspend all imports of U.S. meat, which is produced to the highest safety standards in the world. Russia has disregarded the extensive and expert scientific studies conducted by the international food safety standards body, the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which has repeatedly concluded that animal feed containing the additive ractopamine is completely safe for livestock and for humans that consume their meat. Russia's failure to adopt the Codex standard raises questions about its commitment to the global trading system. Despite repeated U.S. requests to discuss the safety of ractopamine, Russia has refused to engage in any constructive dialogue and instead has simply suspended U.S. meat imports. The United States calls on Russia to restore market access for U.S. meat and meat products immediately and to abide by its obligations as a Member of the World Trade Organization."
As of February 11, 2013, Russia is prohibiting imports of all U.S. beef, pork, turkey and other meat products by requiring a zero tolerance for the presence of ractopamine. Ractopamine is an additive for animal feed that is used in 27 countries, and has been shown to be completely safe at levels established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the United Nation's Codex Alimentarius Commission, the preeminent food safety international standards organization.

Rising Japan corn costs may mean profits for US meat exporters

Rising Japan corn prices may provide an opportunity for larger profits for U.S. meat importers.

Japan's corn prices, rising since the Fukushima power plant nuclear accident on fears that import vessels might be tainted with radiation, may lead to greater profits for U.S. meat exporters as Japan's domestic market becomes more expensive, according to reports.
Higher shipping costs are leading to higher feed prices, which spill into higher domestic meat prices. This chain reaction may lead to U.S. companies like Tyson Foods seeing an increase in their exports to Japan.
Pork and beef orders from Japan increased 20% each in April from March, according to Takamichi Tawara, head of Tyson’s Tokyo office. Its meat exports to Japan reached $400 million in 2010 — 60% pork, 20% beef and the rest chicken and processed food. “The export demand out of Japan has remained very strong,” said James V. Lochner, Tyson’s CEO. “We’ve certainly seen no pullback, and if anything we continue to see strong interest up front.”
Right now, Japanese corn importers are paying 5% more to ship corn from the U.S. Gulf to ports in eastern Japan compared to those in western Japan. “Freight operators are still showing an aversion for eastern Japan,” said Hideo Harada, director for livestock-policy planning at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. “It’s very costly to deliver grains to eastern regions after unloading them at ports in other areas.”

US-China Joint Commission resolutions will increase market access for US farmers, ranchers

The latest session of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade resulted in several initiatives and resolutions, including seven new agreements covering agricultural issues.
Agricultural collaboration, soybean exports, statistics and promotion of investment in the United States were among the topics discussed, and the beef market was of particular interest to both countries. “I am pleased with the progress made today towards resolving our differences on beef access," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "Technical talks will resume as soon as possible with the goal of re-opening China’s market in early 2011. This is a vital outcome for our farmers and ranchers, underscoring the importance of the JCCT in providing a forum for our stakeholders.”
In addition to agriculture, the JCCT covered intellectual property rights enforcement, neutral technology standards, clean energy and government procurement.

US, Japan hold technical meeting on beef, beef products

Technical delegations from the United States and Japan met on Sept. 14 and 15 to discuss issues related to bilateral trade in beef and beef products.
The working-level meeting covered such topics as current Japanese regulations and regulatory processes, Japan's risk assessment process for beef and beef products and Japan's import inspection and border measures. The discussions were led by Dr. John Clifford, chief veterinary officer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Dr. Toshiro Kawashima, director and chief veterinary officer for the Animal Health Division of Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.