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Japan to Ease Restrictions on U.S. Beef Imports Next Month

Japan to Allow U.S Beef Cattle Up to 30-Months Old

By , Farms.com

Japan announced that it will be relaxing restrictions on U.S. beef imports starting Feb. 1, 2013 - after authorities said that the change wouldn’t pose health risks.

Prior to the mad-cow disease case in 2003, Japan was the biggest buyer of U.S beef and in 2005 it lifted a two-year ban on beef as a precautionary measure. When the ban was lifted in 2005, Japan only took beef from cattle that were 20-months old and the recent announcement would have them accept beef from cattle up to 30-months of age.

The recent shift in regulations will likely pave the way for reform before negotiations are over for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact. 


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Jim Smalley: The Voice That Defined Saskatchewan Agriculture Journalism | CKRM 100th Anniversary

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Our next 620 CKRM Icon is Jim Smalley. Jim reflects on his remarkable career, from his early days in Ontario and his first steps into news, to his move west and his lasting impact on Saskatchewan’s airwaves.

After joining CKRM in 1982, Jim spent more than four decades as one of the province’s most trusted and recognizable voices. Jim defined agricultural journalism — not just in Saskatchewan, but across Canada. His commitment to telling the stories of farmers, rural communities, and the people behind the headlines set the standard. Now retired from the newsroom that proudly bears his name, Jim shares memorable stories from his time on air. A broadcaster, a storyteller, and a true voice of Saskatchewan — Jim Smalley’s legacy continues to resonate at CKRM and beyond.