"All along, we've stood by our legislation to exact sanctions against the Japanese if they don't reverse the ban this month.  But it looks like the final hurdle has been cleared. I think Japan will officially announce a lifting of the ban next week," said Rehberg, a Billings rancher. "I've been in contact with Japanese trade officials since the import ban began almost two years ago.  I've diligently made the case about the unmatched safety standards of the U.S. beef industry.  As evidenced by their Food Safety Commission, that persistence has paid off.”

            Japan enacted a ban on U.S. beef imports following the confirmed discovery of a single case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in a Canadian-born diary cow in Washington State in December 2003.  Earlier that year, in May, the Canadian government confirmed a case of BSE in Alberta, Canada, causing the U.S. to enact an immediate ban on Canadian beef imports.  The Canadian beef ban has since been lifted in the U.S. under strict conditions. 

            "We challenged the Japanese trade officials to truly investigate every level of our American beef safety system," Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, said, "We knew that once they looked into our safety standards, we'd stand head and shoulders above the rest of the world, and that's just what happened."

Rehberg’s Action On Japan Beef Embargo:

 (Click on the link for more information, or go to http://www.house.gov/rehberg/)

November 2005 -- Met with U.S. Trade Representative and pledged to keep trade sanction bill on the table:

"While I’m glad Japan’s Food Safety Commission has agreed to recognize that U.S. beef is perfectly safe, we’re not ready to pull our bill until Japan ends this ridiculous embargo against our government, our beef and our producers.”

October 2005 -- Introduced Trade Accountability Act, which directs Treasury Department to impose tariffs on Japan in amount equal to $2.7 billion annual loss to US beef industry due to unfair trade practices of the Japanese beef embargo:

“U.S. beef easily meets and exceeds World Trade Organization health standards.  The excuse of ensuring consumer safety is a fig leaf behind which Japan can no longer hide.  With so many new U.S. food and animal safety and testing standards put in place since 2003, our beef is arguably the safest in the world.”

September 2005 -- Urged Bush Administration to make lifting Japanese beef embargo top trade priority:

“The U.S. cattle and beef industries are losing $100 million each month that Japan remains closed to beef.  The beef industry is a pivotal economic component of many rural communities, and we know the U.S. has the safest food supply in the world.”

 -- More –-

Rehberg’s Action On Japan Beef Embargo (Con’t):

(Click on the link for more information, or go to http://www.house.gov/rehberg/)

June 2005 -- Renewed calls for National Animal Identification Program

April 2005 -- Hailed resumption of Taiwan beef trade, urged Japan and South Korea officials to follow suit

March 2005 -- Requested a scheduled House vote in favor of blocking USDA from reopening Canadian border

February 2005  --

ª       Contacted Japanese Ambassador Kato to call for recognition of U.S. testing and safety precautions, and to resume beef trade with the United States.  (More)

ª       Urged President Bush to persuade Japan to resume trade during flight with President aboard Air Force One en-route to Great Falls. (More)

January 2005 -- Urged caution in opening U.S. border to Canadian beef in light of Japan beef embargo

November 2004 -- Called for investigating BSE testing procedures

September 2004 -- Contacted Japanese Minister of Agriculture to hail US testing standards and call for immediate resumption of beef imports     

July 2004 -- Criticized USDA for inconclusive BSE reports

April 2004 -- Introduced Consumer and Producer Protection Act

February 2004 -- Sponsored National Livestock ID Legislation

January 2004 -- Urged additional USDA hearings on BSE response

August 2003 -- Contacted UDSA to ensure Meat safety and market stability

May 2003 -- Contacted Canadian Ag Minister to express concern over country’s BSE measures

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