Each of the components of Beefxide can be found on the approved food additives list published by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation expects U.S. beef sales to Japan to rise to 217,000 tons in 2013.

USDA weekly export sales data showed that Japan bought 10,900 tons in the week ending Feb. 17, the most since 2010.

The National Chicken Council, National Turkey Federation, USA Poultry & Egg Export Council and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association jointly expressed strong support for the new international trade initiative.

Despite the discovery of a BSE-infected cow in California, major importers increased their purchases of U.S. beef in the last week.

Thailand, which bought less than 0.1 percent of total U.S. beef exports in 2011, may suspend imports from the U.S. after the first case of mad cow in six years.

Gov. Bob McDonnell announced the first direct shipments of cattle from the state to Canada on Thursday while traveling on a trade and marketing mission in Quebec.

October was another excellent month for U.S. pork and beef exports, according to statistics released by USDA and compiled by the USMEF.

Reuters reports that meat and byproducts’ output grew 5.7 percent in October to 113,000 metric tons compared with a year earlier.

Japan may ease its policy on limiting U.S. beef imports to cattle age 20 months or younger.