AUSTRALIA

Beef Exports Go Begging: Australian Primary Industries Minister Bob Collins said a recent scare about contaminated Australian beef in key foreign markets had, as of last week, cost the industry millions of dollars. Australia is the world’s largest beef exporter, with beef ranking third among the nation’s exports. The United States, Japan and South Korea banned imports of Australian beef after the Australian government said that residues of chlorfluazuron had been found in some meat. The pesticide is used to kill caterpillars in cotton. Because of widespread drought in Australia, cotton byproduct from ginning has been used as cattle feed. Collins said the practice, which affected about 1% of Australian cattle herds, has been stopped. No contaminated beef is believed to have been shipped overseas, he said.