Ever feel that when someone is trying to do good that there are others standing in the way? The Japanese are trying to protect their people from Mad Cows, but there are some who are going to force Mad Cows down their throats. It is very sad. Here is the USDA acting head telling the world how it is. (Japan tests every one of its own cows for Mad Cow Disease, but the US refuses to do so.) I have highlighted the important statements in red.
Transcript of Questions and Answers: Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner with Media After U.S. Meat Export Federation Remarks
Washington D.C., October 29, 2007
Q: -- partners in Korea? Is that what you said?
SEC. CONNER: Well, as you guys know we had a trade delegation that's spent the better part of a couple of weeks traveling to five different countries I believe in Asia. We had heard some concern that perhaps, there was concern that we were focused on Japan and Korea and not pushing others. And we wanted to send a strong message that we expect all of our international trading partners to trade in beef and all our beef products according to international OIE standards. So this was an important mission, not only to continue our efforts with Japan and Korea, but at the same time to reach out to those other countries who, as well, are expected to trade according to those standards.
A delegation was over there for a couple of weeks. They are back I believe as of yesterday. In fact they have returned, so I've not had the opportunity to sit down and be fully briefed, but some of what they report is that there has been some progress made in those countries, that there's been expression of some interest in moving towards international standards. We're going to follow up obviously on these things because again we do expect all of Asia and all of our international trading partners to trade according to these standards, and we're not in any way changing that, and just believe that's the only way you're going to have reasonable trade in beef around the globe is according to those standards.
REPORTER: Which, countries showed interest?
REPORTER: -- over the weekend it was revealed that the Topps beef was sourced out of Canada. Can you explain what that will mean in terms of import food safety working group recommendations and any new recommendations coming out of USDA plus the trade implications?
SEC. CONNER: Well, let me just say, Sally, the comment I'll have on that is obviously we worked very, very closely with CFIA from the beginning. We've had such a great working relationship throughout all our beef issues with Canada, with the Canadian government, the CFIA in particular. You know, they had been more than cooperative with us in terms of tracking down this material and sourcing this plant that has been identified. I'm confident that working with Canada we're going to continue to work through these issues and get this resolved at this point. So that's all I'll say.
REPORTER: -- international trade expand, (unclear) safety of U.S. beef, or I should say the safety of beef consumed by Americans?
SEC. CONNER: Well, Chuck, you've heard me say on numerous occasions I believe our food supply is safe, our beef supply is safe. We've had this circumstance for this one particular case that has led to a sizeable recall. I think we've openly identified with you issues that came about as a result of that particular recall that we have put in place several changes that we felt strengthened our own system that we have in place. And those changes will enable us to move much more quickly on a recall than perhaps what our guidelines would have allowed us to do in the past.
We're going to continue to look and analyze this situation, again to make sure we have the absolute best system in place for protection of our consumers. Most of that you've seen already in terms of the announcements that came out of FSIS shortly after the major recall was issued for the product coming out of New Jersey.
REPORTER: Sir, (unclear) Prime Minister (unclear) be in town meeting with President (unclear). What is your expectation with regards to the beef issue?
SEC. CONNER: Well, again, the president on numerous occasions has stated to our trading partners and to the Japanese and Koreans in particular that he expects our beef producers in the United States to be able to trade beef internationally according to OIE standards. International, science-based standards. And the President has been personally involved in making this case. We appreciate his personal involvement in making that case, and I am certain that this is going to be underscored again with the Japanese that we expect, as they have indicated before, that they are willing to move forward to trade according to those international standards, international standards that will ensure that Japanese consumers not only have access to beef but have access to a very, very safe beef supply. And again I would expect the President to underscore that.
REPORTER: When you started did you expect it would be almost November and we'd still be dealing with opening markets with Japan?
SEC. CONNER: Well, I won't comment on that directly, but obviously it reflects the frustration that we've got at this point. It's been too long, Alan. I'll just say that. It's been simply too long. We are frustrated. We are going to continue to press this point, press again for full OIE compliance. And we appreciate the work of our trade experts the last couple of weeks to make this case on many, many points around the globe. And as I have indicated, we will be reporting perhaps some progress, but a lot more needs to be done. We're frustrated. It's time to get this issue behind us.
REPORTER: Despite OIE guidelines, international guidelines, have you gotten – is Japan still set in only wanting to accept beef of under 30-month-age cattle, not accept culled cattle?
SEC. CONNER: Well, the Japanese can state their own position. Our position with the Japanese is, they have agreed to live by international standards. And international standards are not 30 month and younger animals. International standards in Japan would allow us to trade all products from all age cattle into that country. And that's what we expect Japan to do because that's what they have agreed to do by being a part of this international body.
REPORTER: Mr. Secretary, on the Peru Free Trade Agreement you'd expressed some hope about this month. Have any congressional leaders indicated when they might be moving on that?
SEC. CONNER: I'm not aware of what they are saying in terms of the timing of that. Again, obviously they come out of both committees with strong votes, strong bipartisan votes I might add, and so we'd expect them to move forward on this very quickly. We are going to continue to press for rapid adoption of that particular agreement as well as the other three going forward.
REPORTER: On beef again, had you talked to the Asian countries about going to the SPS Committee in Geneva about, with the complaint or at least the discussion within the committee?
SEC. CONNER: I have not had any discussions in that regard. Again, we're going to continue to make the case for these international standards, and we just expect those countries who have agreed to live by these standards, expect others in terms of trading of their products, to live by international standards, to say simply, "We're a part of this body, we're a part of the international body; this is what we have agreed to trade by, this is how we expect others to treat us. Therefore, this is how we're going to treat U.S. beef."
We're frustrated. You know, we're going to continue to press that point. And next steps, we'll have to see, but we're going to continue to press that point as again we have in the last two weeks with this high level delegation that has been to the five different Asian countries.
REPORTER: Different topic. Anything new from the wild fires as far as crop damage? What's USDA been finding out?
SEC. CONNER: Well, obviously, in terms of crop damage we need to get an assessment of that at this point. As you might expect, the last several days we have been focusing on full containment of the fire. Under Secretary Mark Rey reported on that this morning in our sub cabinet meeting. Most of the fires are in the 90 percent containment category. That's not to say there might not be one or two that aren't there, but we made a lot of progress in the last three days since the wind died down.
I will tell you as well, obviously those same people in our fire center are watching the weather maps very, very closely because there is some talk about later in the week some form of Santa Anta winds picking up again, in which case if there are any fires remaining at that point that could be problematic. So this is an ongoing, fluid situation. But in the last few days as we've been able to get our full deployment in the air and on the ground, we've made a great deal of headway.
REPORTER: So may I go back to the beef issue? So that you mentioned that, so that some of the nations are interested in moving into the OIE standards. I'm just wondering, which countries show that?
SEC. CONNER: Well, in terms of this trip I'll be having more to say about that at a later point. I'll just again report as I said in my remarks in here that we feel like we have made some progress towards moving toward OIE standards in certain situations.
REPORTER: -- with Japan?
SEC. CONNER: I'm not going to say anything more. You guys heard my remarks.
REPORTER: What are the next steps now that the Asian trip is over?
SEC. CONNER: Well, obviously we need to get a full briefing from the group that just returned over the weekend, both Sue Schwab and I. I will be meeting with her in the middle part of this week, Wednesday I believe Sue and I are scheduled to have a meeting. We'll plot out our next steps based upon that briefing. Obviously we're going to continue to reach out to all of our counterparts in these countries, continue to press them with just the strongest possible message that we can: "Simply do what you said you were going to do. This is not a tough situation. You are a part of the international body, you've been a part of these negotiations, you've indicated what you're going to do. Fulfill that obligation, open up your markets according to the science-based standards of the OIE."
Again, it's not difficult. It's something that for the sake of international trade, for the sake of all exports moving around the country, around the globe freely, they should be willing to do because these are countries that are champions of trade, champions of trade according to international standards. Now they just need to do it for this particular product.
Last Modified: 10/29/2007