The Japanese government recently decided to reopen its market to U.S. beef. This decision will help U.S. beef producers and processors expand sales and contribute to U.S. trade, but only if we recognize the barriers we must overcome in order to regain the sales and market share lost when Japan banned U.S. beef in December 2003.

Even though the Japanese have now reopened their market, it will not be an easy task for U.S. cattle ranchers and beef processors to regain all or a significant portion of our lost market share. Resistance to U.S. beef is still widespread in Japan. Even though we produce the best beef in the world, there still exists a perception that U.S. beef is not safe.

In addition, Australian and New Zealand suppliers have captured a huge market share over the past three years, and the Australians are spending millions of dollars promoting Aussie beef and even developing grain-fed products to compete with the American flavor profiles.

U.S. beef processors also are being forced to compete on unequal playing fields. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has refused to allow beef processors such as Creekstone Farms Premium Beef to voluntarily test 100 percent of the cattle it processes for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease. BSE testing would immediately relax fears, particularly in Japan, and allow the United States to regain market share. Japan currently will only accept beef derived from animals 20 months old and younger. We hope this requirement will change, but it currently limits the availability of age-verified cattle. BSE testing, however, would eliminate the age issue altogether and put our available supply for Japan back to pre-December 2003 levels.

As if the barriers in Japan are not enough, when South Korean inspectors failed seven of 38 U.S. beef processing facilities in June, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns declared that the 31 U.S. beef processors' plants that had been approved had to wait to export to South Korea until the other seven corrected their problems. It's as if this year's senior class at the University of Kansas was barred from graduating until seven students with failing grades passed their final exams. The remaining plants have now been approved and it appears that trade will resume quickly. But the delay, even since the original May plant inspections, has cost our industry millions of dollars in lost revenue. There was absolutely no reason for 31 approved plants to wait on seven failed plants.

Creekstone Farms, based in Arkansas City, recognizes these realities and wants to address consumer concerns, especially in Japan, by voluntarily testing all the cattle it slaughters for beef at no expense to U.S. taxpayers. Instead of embracing Creekstone Farms' proposal, which would help provide assurance to Japanese and other consumers who want BSE-tested beef, the USDA is hurting American beef processors in their effort to compete in the global marketplace.

USDA can no longer ignore the overwhelming public support for allowing companies such as Creekstone Farms to voluntarily test all of its production. Testing will give consumers at home and abroad added confidence in U.S. beef and improve America's trade status with countries such as South Korea and Japan. At the same time, USDA must apply its trade policy fairly and reasonably, enabling facilities to export beef even while those that fail inspections are held back temporarily. It is the right thing to do; it will create U.S. jobs, grow our economy and help us regain global market share.

 John Stewart is the chief executive officer and founder of Creekstone Farms Premium Beef in Arkansas City