Early Monday morning, the Prion Subcommittee of Japan’s Food Safety Commission issued a favorable report regarding the minimal BSE risk associated with U.S. beef. Jay Truitt, NCBA’s vice president of government affairs, is cautiously optimistic that this report represents real progress toward resumption of trade. 

Cut #1         :14         Outcue: "...one short week ago."

Truitt says the full Food Safety Commission is expected to meet on the issue later this week.

Cut #2         :31         Outcue: "...if nothing else."

While Truitt is as frustrated as anyone with Japan’s delays, he says there were no short cuts or “magic bullets” that would have gotten U.S. beef back into Japan sooner. He said the U.S. needed to stand by its scientific safeguards and practices.

Cut #3         :23         Outcue: "...people here would like.”