Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 8/5/11

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), committee ranking member Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and 37 other senators from both parties signed a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk urging action to address barriers imposed by China and Japan on U.S. beef imports.

The letter follows a pledge made by Deputy USTR Demetrios Marantis to meet with China and Japan to discuss the restrictions.

“We believe continuous high-level engagement by USTR and USDA is critical to making progress towards ending China and Japan’s unscientific restrictions to U.S. beef products,” the letter stated. “To maintain and expand the global market for U.S. beef, there must now be stronger, sustained outreach to China, Japan, and other countries that continue to limit access to our beef.”

Japan maintains a ban on U.S. beef from cattle over 20 months of age. China remains the only major market completely closed to U.S. beef due to concerns about an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in 2003.

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