RESOLUTION SEEKS TO OPEN JAPANâ??S BEEF MARKET

WASHINGTON, D.C. â?? Idaho Senators Larry Craig and Mike Crapo joined several of their colleagues today in cosponsoring a resolution that strives to reopen Japan to U.S. beef imports. Senator John Thune, R-S.D., is the chief sponsor. The resolution calls on the United States Trade Representative to â??immediately impose retaliatory economic measures against Japanâ?? if Japan continues to delay the implementation of an October 23, 2004 agreement to resume U.S. beef imports. Craig urged support of the resolution, â??Japan is a billion-dollar market for U.S. beef, so it is vital that trade resume for our producers and our economy. U.S. beef is safe â?? Japan must move expeditiously and honor its agreement to resume imports of U.S. beef. Retaliatory measures are the hammer we need to ensure they act.â?? Crapo, Chairman of the Senate Banking Committeeâ??s Subcommittee on International Trade and Finance and a member of the Senate Finance Committee and Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, said, â??We have had face-to-face meetings with Japanâ??s ambassador and we relayed the message that the U.S. has met the safety requirements set forth by the Japanese government, and Japan must re-open its markets swiftly. U.S. beef producers have instituted a stringent detection program for BSE and have been negatively impacted by the approximate $1,700,000,000 in export losses due to prolonged closure of Japanâ??s market. It is time to reopen the Japanese market to American beef.â?? Click here for a copy of the resolution. NOTE: To link directly to this release, please use the following address: http://craig.senate.gov/releases/pr031705a.htm. [30]