Ontario first ?

[wd40]

The first shipment of Canadian beef to Japan in nearly three years found its way to supermarket shelves yesterday. Hanamasa Co., a supermarket and restaurant chain, brought eight tons of Ontario beef into the country and plans to begin regular shipments of Canadian beef in late January or early February.

How come Alberta beef didn't make it out the gate first?

[cowman]

I think Cargill High River had the first load to Japan? It went to a food fair?

[wd40]

My bet is that the CFIA had something to do with it.

[farmers_son]

As I understand it the first small shipment did originate from Cargill’s High River plant with a second smaller shipment coming from the Better Beef plant in Ontario which is now owned by Cargill.

And yes CFIA would have had quite a bit to do with it. So did a lot of other people. It took years of work to see even this token shipment of beef take place. Still it is important for the industry to have Japan recognize our beef as safe.

The real economic impact for Canadian producers will be that the resumption of trade with Japan should see the Americans take steps to normalizing trade in our live cattle and beef. Canada’s beef trade with Japan, even though before May 20 they were our third largest export customer, was rather limited at the best of times. I think it was very important that Japan resumed trade with Canadian beef at the very same time as they resumed trade with U.S. beef. American protectionist trade barriers to our cattle and beef must now be seen for what they are.

Although I have seen no reports to back this up, I would expect that part of the agreement to see our beef go to Japan would have been a reciprocal agreement to see young beef from Japan eligible for export to North America.

[PureCountry]

And why not? Fair is fair.

[cowman]

Questions? How much American beef has gone to Japan? How was the beef from Canada age verified?