Japan suspends beef imports from US plant

Japan has suspended beef imports from a US meatpacking plant that violated a bilateral accord aimed at limiting the threat from mad cow disease, the government said Wednesday. The farm ministry said part of a consignment of beef from a Cargill Inc plant in Dodge City, Kansas, arrived at Kobe port on September 20 with blank safety certificates.
The shipment violates the accord because the products come from cattle of an unknown age. Faced with threats of sanctions, Japan agreed last year to resume US beef imports on condition the cattle were not more than 20 months old at the time of slaughter, with brains, spinal cords and other risky parts removed.