KING
STATEMENT ON JAPAN BEEF TRADE
WASHINGTON - Agriculture
Committee member Congressman Steve King today released
the following statement regarding Japan's announcement
that it will resume beef trade with the United States:
"Iowa's beef producers
will regain access to the Japanese beef market after
almost three years of relentless negotiation by the U.S.
to regain beef trade with Japan. We look forward to our
producers having that market open for business.
"Audits of our plants only
took a month to conduct because of strict US safety
methods already in place. Now, 34 out of 35 plants may
begin to export beef to Japan immediately.
"U.S. beef is among the
safest in the world, and the Secretary of Agriculture
and the U.S. Trade Representative should be commended
for advancing the use of scientific evidence for world
trading standards."
According to
the USDA,
the
United
States exported $1.4 billion worth of beef and beef
products to Japan in
2003. King is a member of the
House Agriculture Committee.
