Japan Says No To U.S. On Beef Import Talks (CattleNetwork.com) TOKYO — The Japanese government has rejected a U.S. request for early talks about easing restrictions on American beef imports, an official said. Japan banned U.S. beef imports for 2 years because of fears about mad cow disease. [News Source]

LaTourette co-introduces legislation to ban slaughter of downed animals. U.S. Reps. Steven C. LaTourette, R-Concord Township, and Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y., introduced legislation they say is intended to help safeguard the country's food supply by banning the slaughter of downed animals like cattle that are too sick or injured to stand or walk. [News Source]

Japan says no to U.S. on beef import talks (Albuquerque Tribune) Japan banned U.S. beef imports for 2 years because of fears about mad cow disease. Tokyo eased an all-encompassing ban in July 2006 but lingering trade restrictions have allowed only a trickle of U.S. beef back into the country. [News Source]

Identifying Variation In The U.S. Bovine Prion Gene (Science Daily) Do genes affect bovine spongiform encephalopathy--also known as BSE, or "mad cow" disease? Are some cattle more susceptible than others? To address these and other questions, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Neb., have sequenced the bovine prion gene (PRNP) in 192 cattle that represent 16 beef and five dairy breeds common in ... [News Source]

CORRECTED: Japan, U.S. to review procedures for beef imports from U.S. in March (Kyodo via Yahoo! Asia News) _ Japan and the United States are expected to reassess Tokyo's import procedures for U.S. beef in March, including the practice of inspecting all boxes of imports over fears of mad cow disease, government officials said Wednesday. [News Source]