María Elvira Salazar: “the U.S. beef industry is a critical economic component of rural communities. The safety standards of the USDA allows…”

“the U.S. beef industry is a critical economic component of rural communities. The safety standards of the USDA allows the U.S. to provide the safest food supply in the world. In 2003, Japan imposed a ban on U.S. beef products after the discovery of a cow infected with mad cow disease that never entered the food chain. Since that time, USDA has implemented stronger, scientifically sound BSE controls, and has ramped up its enforcement, yet Japan continues to keep their borders closed to U.S. beef. This unwarranted embargo by Japan has caused significant impacts to the U.S. cattle producers and beef processors. Today I am introducing legislation that will call on the U.S. Trade Representative to impose sanctions on Japan if they do not open their borders to our Nation's beef by December 31, 2005. Other Asian countries have since opened their borders to U.S. beef, and it is time for Japan to do the same. Therefore, I am asking my colleagues to support this legislation and bring an end to Japan's beef embargo. ____________________”