Baucus, Tester: Montana Beef, It Should Be What's For Dinner

Senators Urge White House To Serve Montana Steaks To Japanese Official

(Washington D.C.)
Montana Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester still have a beef with Japan,
because of an unfair beef ban, but they are hoping a "taste test" by
the Japanese Prime Minister this week will help change that.

In a letter to the White House Chef Cristeta Comerford, the senators urged
that Montana steaks be served when Japan's Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe has an official dinner with President George Bush and First
Lady Laura Bush. The senators say that serving Montana
beef could help end Japan's
ban.

"We could give the Japanese thousands of scientific tests showing that Montana has the safest,
highest quality beef in the world," Baucus said. "But sometimes
there's no substitute for a good old fashioned taste test."

"There are lots of dinner choices in Washington, but nothing beats a big, red,
juicy steak from back home," Tester said. "Prime Minister Abe is in
for a real treat. So are millions of Japanese, as soon as this ban is
lifted."

Japan banned U.S.
beef in 2003, after a cow in Washington state tested positive for bovine
spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE. Japan
resumed shipments of U.S.
beef from cattle 20 months of age or younger in July 2006, but international
health standards certify the safety of all U.S. beef, bone-in and boneless,
regardless of age.

In addition to fighting Japan's
beef ban, Baucus and Tester have also lead the fight to open other foreign
markets for Montana beef including South Korea and China.