U.S. hoping for technical talks on beef ban this week. The U.S. hopes to hold technical talks on beef trade this week now that it has responded to Tokyo's questions about an unacceptable veal shipment, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said Monday. [News Source]

Japan may ask U.S. for more details about beef. Japan may ask the U.S. for more details about its safety measures to prevent any repeat of an export error that sent banned beef parts considered at risk for mad cow disease to Japan, the health minister said Wednesday. [News Source]

Past mad cow woes tough on beef farmers. Nova Scotia beef farmers still face a grim financial situation in the fallout from the 2003 case of mad cow disease in Alberta, the chairman of the Nova Scotia Cattle Producers said Tuesday. [News Source]