The incoming agricultural chief yesterday denied that the government has already decided to lift a ban on ractopamine-containing U.S. beef, but health authorities vowed to impose strict control of such imports if they are allowed.

U.S. farmers, poised to ship record beef cargoes for a second straight year, may get a further boost as Japan, once their biggest overseas customer, considers easing trade curbs imposed after an outbreak of mad-cow disease.

U.S. farmers, poised to ship record beef cargoes for a second straight year, may get a further boost as Japan, once their biggest overseas customer, considers easing trade curbs imposed after an outbreak of mad cow disease.

Economics Minister Shih Yen-shiang said Wednesday that the U.S. beef dispute is an issue that has to be dealt with and "the sooner the better."

For more than a century, through a dozen dry spells when lakes disappeared and the land died, thousands of cows from the Swenson Land & Cattle Co have roamed the fields of Texas. Yet the drought currently ravaging the southern Plains has done what the Dust Bowl could not: chased them off this land.

ANALYSIS - There has been virtually no snow up in Canada, no snow in the northern US Plains, and the Upper Midwest has seen only two snow events this winter and neither was hugely significant, so we wonder "Where's the snow?", writes Sarah Mikesell, TheCattleSite senior editor.

CANADA - Optimism among beef producers has never been higher than it is now. Three quarters of beef producers (79 per cent) agree that their farm or business will be better off five years from now, according to a new survey by Canada's federal agriculture lender, Farm Credit Canada, which released results from a national survey of its Vision panel.

EU - A proposed EU concession to help put an end to the 20-year hormone beef trade war with the US and Canada was unanimously endorsed by the International Trade Committee on Thursday. The proposal, which would raise the EU import quota for beef from animals not treated with hormones, will be put to a vote by Parliament as a whole on 13 March.

Two videos have been produced to showcase Caledon’s Good Food Ideas

The protein-based pathogens known as prions may pass between different species more easily than has been thought, a team of French researchers reports. By infecting engineered mice with prions from cows and goats, scientists also have shown that the invaders readily target tissues other than the brain.

U.S. farmers, poised to ship record beef cargoes for a second straight year, may get a further boost as Japan, once their biggest overseas customer, considers easing trade curbs imposed after an outbreak of mad cow disease.

CANADA and PHILIPPINES - Canadian cattle, sheep and goat producers will benefit from new access to yet another international market. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and International Trade Minister Ed Fast announced that the Government of Canada has secured live ruminant market access to the Philippines.

U.S. farmers, poised to ship record beef cargoes for a second straight year, may get a further boost as Japan, once their biggest overseas customer, considers easing trade curbs imposed after an outbreak of mad-cow disease.

U.S. farmers, poised to ship record beef cargoes for a second straight year, may get a further boost as Japan, once their biggest overseas customer, considers easing trade curbs imposed after an outbreak of mad-cow disease.

South Korea has lifted an eight-year ban on imports of Canadian beef. Seoul imposed the ban after mad cow disease was found in a Canadian cow in 2003. Topics:  Global Manufacturing Government Food/Beverage Safety

SOUTH KOREA and CANADA - Canadian beef under 30 months of age is to be allowed to re-enter the South Korean market.

South Korea lifted its ban on Canadian beef, due to the threat of mad cow disease, after nearly nine years, raising Canadian government hopes for progress in stalled free-trade negotiations between the two countries.

South Korea is lifting its ban on Canadian beef, eliminating a key impediment to long-stalled free trade talks between the two countries. The Harper government walked away from talks with South Korea in 2008, frustrated over its shunning of Canadian beef after a mad-cow disease outbreak.

Almost nine years after the "mad cow" disease was found in Canadian cattle, the South Korean government finally dropped its ban on Canadian beef imports, reported China's Xinhua news agency.

The last major Asian market banning Canadian beef since a 2003 mad cow outbreak — South Korea — has reopened its borders to meat from cattle under 30 months old, the federal government announced Friday.