Archived News - April 2006

USDA Releases BSE Prevalence Estimate For U.S.

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced USDA's estimate of the prevalence of BSE in the United States. - Posted 4/28/06 by JBW

South Korea Set To Resume Beef Imports

South Korean imports of boneless beef from cattle under 30 months of age are set to resume by early June. - Posted 4/27/06 by AHB

Japan Wraps Up Public Meetings About U.S. Beef Imports

Japanese officials have said that the government plans to resume negotiations with the United States after considering the opinions voiced by Japanese consumers at the forums. - Posted 4/25/06 by AHB

Cooking Speed Impacts Beef Safety

Kansas State study concludes that internal cooked color is not an adequate indicator of ground-beef doneness when comparing cooking speed of hamburger patties. - Posted 4/24/06 by AHB

Johanns: BSE Cases Will Slow Import Of Older Canadian Cattle

The plans to fast-track a new rule to allow the import of Canadian cattle older than 30 months have been stymied by the discovery of two new cases of BSE in Canada this year. - Posted 4/24/06 by AHB

FDA Releases New Food Safety Manual

FDA provides new manual for state, local, and Tribal regulators on conducting risk-based inspections in retail and foodservice establishments and evaluating voluntary food-safety management systems. - Posted 4/21/06 by AHB

Senators Rally Against Food-Labeling Bill

Two California Senators are gathering support to kill a bill passed in the House that would standardize food labeling nationwide. - Posted 4/21/06 by AHB

Will Hu Jintao, Bush ‘Talk Beef' Today?

Cattle producers will be waiting to hear if the Chinese President and U.S. President Bush made further progress on the issue of beef trade. - Posted 4/20/06 by AHB

Japan Confirms Another BSE Case

Japan confirmed a case of BSE in a 5-year-old Holstein. - Posted 4/20/06 by JBW

The Facts About Avian Influenza Brochure

Newconsumer brochure on Poultrysafety.org. - Posted 4/19/06 by JBW

Japanese Steer Negative For BSE; Another Suspected Case Identified

The 20-month-old Japanese steer suspected of BSE infection has tested negative for the disease in follow-up testing. - Posted 4/19/06 by JBW

Federal Register Correction:  Determining Net Weight Compliance for Meat and Poultry Products

FSIS announced a correction to the proposed rule, Determining Net Weight Compliance for Meat and Poultry Products, in the Federal Register.  - Posted 4/19/06 by AHB

U.S. Food-Borne Illness Rates Dropped

Improving conditions reflect industry resolve and partnerships to combat food-borne illness. - Posted 4/18/06 by JBW

Japan May Have BSE Case In Young Animal

A 20-month-old Holstein steer slaughtered for beef northeast of Tokyo may have suffered from BSE. - Posted 4/18/06 by JBW

British Columbian BSE Case Was A Downer

The suspected BSE cow discovered on a dairy farm outside British Columbia was unable to stand at various times within the past two weeks according to veterinarians.- Posted 4/17/06 by AHB

USDA Statement Regarding Canada's Fifth Case of BSE - Posted 4/17/06 by AHB

Canada BSE Case Test Yields 'Preliminary Positive'

A 6-year-old dairy cow in British Columbia may be Canada's fifth case of BSE. - Posted 4/14/06 by JBW

Pathogens Learn To Survive Stress In Plants

Irradiation must be used in sufficient doses to kill pathogens. - Posted 4/13/06 by JBW

Lawsuit Over Beef Prices Nearing End

A federal judge denied a request from meatpacking companies to dismiss a lawsuit that accuses them of underpaying cattle producers four years ago. - Posted 4/12/06 by JBW

Immigration Reform Bill Fails, Again

Immigration reform has hit a wall, largely due to bipartisan squabbling in the Senate. - Posted 4/11/06 by JBW

Animal ID On Track, Johanns Says

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said that USDA's "aggressive" timetable for a National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is on schedule. - Posted 4/10/06 by JBW

APHIS Announces Web Conference Training Seminars For Animal Id Number Managers

APHIS will hold additional training seminars, via web conference, for producers and other stakeholders who intend to participate in the distribution of animal identification number (AIN) tags. - Posted 4/7/06 by JBW

Johanns Releases National Animal Identification System Implementation Plan

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced the release of an implementation plan that outlines timelines and benchmarks for the establishment of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS), along with a plan for the initial integration of private and state animal tracking databases with NAIS. - Posted 4/7/06 by JBW

Judge Dismisses R-CALF Suit To Ban Canadian Beef

Judge Richard Cebull of the District Court of Billings, Mont., has ruled against the original petitioner, Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, in its bid for a permanent injunction against such imports. - Posted 4/7/06 by JBW

Docket No. FSIS-2006-0009 

Public Meeting to Discuss the Proposed Rule on the Availability of Lists of Retail Consignees During Meat or Poultry Product Recalls - Posted 4/6/06 by AHB

Docket No. FSIS-2006-0006 

Exemption for Retail Store Operations - Posted 4/6/06 by AHB

Single Minimum Internal Temperature Established For Cooked Poultry

FSIS advised consumers that cooking raw poultry to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F will eliminate pathogens and viruses. - Posted 4/5/06 by JBW

The American Association Of Meat Processors & The Meat Industry Lose A Talented Meat Processor, A Teacher, And A Friend

Following a relatively short battle with cancer, Steve Eaker passed away Saturday - April 1, 2006. - Posted 4/3/06 by JBW

  

Steven Ervin Eaker Obituary

U.S. Developing Cooked Poultry Guidelines

USDA seeks advice on creating food-safety guidelines for poultry processors and consumers regarding ready-to-eat (RTE) and not ready-to-eat (NRTE) products. - Posted 4/3/06 by JBW