NGOs call for boycott of US beef. The government's decision to resume U.S. beef imports next month is rekindling calls for a boycott of U.S. beef because of a potential risk of mad cow disease. [News Source]

Pork producers play by Japan’s new rules (Peoria Journal Star) Complete local and regional news, local business directory including restaurants, local classifieds and Central Illinois information. [News Source]

U.S. diplomat calls on Japan to focus on safety of U.S. beef (Kyodo via Yahoo! Asia News) _ The Japanese government should concentrate on whether U.S. beef is safe based on scientific principles, not on whether consumers feel safe, when it decides to reopen its market to U.S. beef products, a U.S. diplomat said Tuesday. [News Source]

Letter to the editor (AG Weekly) What impact will the National Animal Identification System (www.NoNAIS.rog) have on every American? [News Source]

Some ranchers shy on first day since mad cow announcement (AG Weekly) TULIA, Texas -- West Texas rancher Kevin Crooks lost about $1 million in the year following the country's first case of mad cow 18 months ago. If he'd had cattle big enough to sell at the Tulia Livestock Auction on Monday, he wouldn't have brought a one. [News Source]

U.S. Beef Imports to Resume in June (donga.com) It seems that the import of the U.S. beef will restart from the end of June. It has been two-and-a-half years since an embargo was put on the imports of U.S. beef in December of 2003 after a cow infected with mad cow disease was found. [News Source]

Illegal imports threaten agricultural health sectors. Not only do they debilitate the impact of legal imports in Jamaica, but they pose a serious health risk. [News Source]

B.C. farm incomes plunged 70 percent last year. Soaring energy prices were biggest factor, according to Statistics Canada. [News Source]

S.Korea to resume US beef imports on June 7. Only meat processed in facilities deemed by the South Korean government as safe will be allowed to enter the country. [News Source]

S.Korea to resume US beef imports on June 7 (Reuters via Yahoo! News) South Korea will resume U.S. beef imports on June 7 after it announces a list of approved beef processing facilities in the United States, an agriculture ministry official said on Monday. [News Source]