[2005/12/31]
# x Q6 e9 J! bHong Kong Agrees To Open Market to U.S. Beef
( R0 @/ ` r- K5 [* uUnited States recovers most of beef trade lost since late 2003+ s9 U6 D, U! q2 s' R- V0 s5 X
# p8 B% L } }$ ~Washington -- The United States has reached agreement with Hong Kong for the
! Z+ I+ d9 {( e4 b! x kreopening of Hong Kong's market to U.S. boneless beef from cattle younger, ~5 s1 r y5 q' \3 d' O- X
than 30 months.4 A* f8 e3 w3 k) Y+ H' U: [+ Z
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With the Hong Kong agreement, announced December 29 by U.S. Agriculture: h8 J5 i3 I& z/ x, y, x3 u3 }
Secretary Mike Johanns, the United States has recovered 74 percent of its' Q$ b' _, |, s, [4 g5 A3 R7 a( N
beef export market that closed down after a case of bovine spongiform" ]5 {8 U$ }+ k9 m. q+ q
encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease, was found in December; S: Z, c: `% ?$ r2 I7 t
2003 in an older U.S. cow imported from Canada.& w) ?8 q+ k* v
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The agreement follows a December 11 announcement by the Agriculture! T& \+ p, O! f2 {% d- Q$ b- L
Department that the United States and Japan agreed to reopen Japanese
& x2 c1 W. }' Y Gmarkets to imports of U.S. beef.
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In 2004 and 2005, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) significantly
, _2 Z% n, H& x$ Ystepped up its beef cow testing and surveillance program.$ r2 O/ G& {! U- E8 I0 u" j
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Part of the latter effort -- to detect early any apparent case of BSE and to
2 L) |+ z1 T+ E( L) S! zcontain the disease if needed -- has been the implementation of an animal
- d; N! ?6 f2 _2 n6 g+ r8 E* fidentification system to aid in tracking suspected or diagnosed sick
7 T- }1 o! N* k; a5 banimals.
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"This agreement follows Hong Kong's determination that U.S. control measures
% o" z5 w" c# G' ` ^) |effectively ensure the safety of our beef," Johanns said in a statement.
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3 U: r9 O# P. c4 f5 l/ A$ f% I% ?/ c0 v"USDA will continue to focus our efforts on opening additional markets in1 [, T6 a! L6 D+ Q
Asia and around the world by promoting the use of science-based regulations, B% E$ m- Y S
in global beef trade," he said.
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In 2003, Hong Kong was the fifth largest market for U.S. beef products. |