OT: Radioactive Rice Hay Story Still Doesn't Quite Add Up for Me Personally

Quid est veritas?



The answer seems to be whatever is reported by the largest number of media outlets, mainstream and alternative. I'm just wondering aloud about my personal misgivings. (For those who insist on facts and figures only, you can stop right here, and have a nice weekend.)



The official story of radioactive rice hay is as follows:

The rice farmers left the rice hay in the fields after the harvest last fall, because the weather was supposedly not good. Too much rain, not enough time for the hay to dry.



When Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant reactor buildings blew up, the rice hay was sitting on the ground. Then the rain and snow fell on the hay, contaminating it with radioactive materials.



The rice farmers collected the hay and sold/gave it to cattle farmers, who then fed the rice hay to their cows to improve the texture of the meat before the cows are sold to the market.



The cows were later found with radioactive cesium, and it was determined that it was from the contaminated rice hay that they ate.

Here are my problems:



If the rice hay had been sitting on the ground since August/September last year and it rained and snowed, wouldn't the rice hay pretty much rot by March this year?



The radioactive rice hay, particularly that from Miyagi Prefecture, has been shipped all over Japan. Why? Because, apparently, the rice hay from Miyagi (and Iwate) is considered high quality because the rice there is considered premium. Cattle farmers outside Miyagi purchase the Miyagi rice hay to feed their premium cows. This cattle farm in Yamagata proudly says their premium cows are fed with only quality rice hay from Miyagi and Yamagata.



Would the cattle farmers all over Japan buy the rice hay that was sitting on the ground for more than 6 months in rain and snow?



Another problem I have is that these cows start to be fed with rice hay one year before they are sold to the market. The cows that were found with radioactive cesium in July were sold and processed into meat between April and July. So they must have been eating rice hay since March - July of last year, and ate the radioactive rice hay for less than 3 months at most. Many cows were sold and processed in April, so they ate the radioactive rice hay for less than a month.



It turns out that Miyagi Prefecture is the number one producer of rice hay for cattle feed in Tohoku. Even if the rice hay producers do not roll the hay until it's ready to be shipped, I would think they keep it indoors at all times.



The government says it's the rice hay that contaminated the cows, the media outlets say so too. Producers, wholesalers and retailers of domestic beef all say so.

The cows got contaminated, and the rice hay got contaminated. But they may be the two separate events, and may not have happened the way people say it happened. Just my non-expert musings.

More about → OT: Radioactive Rice Hay Story Still Doesn't Quite Add Up for Me Personally

#Radioactive Rice Hay From Miyagi Went Far and Wide

The government officials are slowly finding out the extent of radiation contamination all over Japan, and here are only two minor examples that I picked up today.



First, from Mainichi Shinbun Hokkaido local version (7/23/2011; sorry old news that I just found), I learned of the potentially radioactive beef from Hokkaido, which has largely escaped the radioactive plume blowing from Fukushima I Nuke Plant. The cows in Hamanaka-cho ate the rice hay from Wakuya-cho in Miyagi Prefecture that was contaminated with 1886 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium, the level of which exceeded the national provisional safety limit for cattle feed (400 becquerels/kg). Hamanaka-cho is located on the eastern tip of Hokkaido, facing the Pacific Ocean.



Hokkaido officials are perplexed. "We never thought possible that anyone would buy rice hay from Honshu, because it's too costly." It was beyond their expectation.



The second one is the radioactive manure in Yamagata Prefecture. According to Sankei News (8/25/2011), the Yamagata prefectural government announced on August 25 that the cow manure at 7 cattle farms in the prefecture tested between 500 to 2600 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium. All 7 farms were feeding their meat cows with rice hay from Miyagi Prefecture.



What I don't understand is why these farms even bought rice hay from Miyagi Prefecture, when their own prefectures are big producers of rice and there should be rice hay in abundance.



Well, since the leaf compost made out of radioactive dead leaves in Tochigi Prefecture can be mixed with dead leaves imported from Thailand and Bangladesh and sold all over Japan by one company, anything is possible.

More about → #Radioactive Rice Hay From Miyagi Went Far and Wide

#Radioactive Beef Conundrum: High Level Cesium Detected from Beef Not Fed with Radioactive Rice Hay

Oops. There goes the lifting of the shipping ban for Fukushima.



So where did the cow get the dose of radioactive cesium? Air? Water? No one knows, because everyone in the government and the producers have been looking only at radioactive rice hay.



From NHK News Japanese (2:17PM JST 8/19/2011):

厚生労働省によりますと、福島県産の牛の肉から国の暫定基準値を超える放射性セシウムが検出されたことが分かりました。この牛肉は、食肉処理場に保管されていたということで、これまでの調査では、高濃度の放射性セシウムを含む稲わらは餌として与えられていなかったとみられるということです。政府は福島県の肉牛について、１９日、出荷停止を解除する予定でしたが、出荷停止を当面継続するとともに、さらに詳しい調査を行うよう福島県に指示しました。



According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, radioactive cesium in the amount exceeding the national provisional limit has been detected from the beef from a cow raised in Fukushima Prefecture. This meat has been stored at a meat processing facility, and according to the investigation so far the cow was never fed the radioactive rice hay. The national government was going to lift the shipping ban on meat cows in Fukushima Prefecture today (August 19) but instead has instructed the Fukushima prefectural government to continue to halt shipping for the time being and conduct further investigation.

On a separate piece of news (link in Japanese), the manure made from chicken poop mixed with dead leaves and sawdust in Tama district of Tokyo (west) has been found to contain 890 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium. I hope it is from dead leaves or sawdust, and not from chickens. Chickens are fed with the chicken feed from the US, and they are raised indoors.

More about → #Radioactive Beef Conundrum: High Level Cesium Detected from Beef Not Fed with Radioactive Rice Hay

Japanese Government Will Lift Shipping Ban on Cows from Fukushima and Miyagi (Hello #Radioactive Beef Again)

Nothing coming out of Japan makes sense any more, so this news is simply adding to that growing list.



The national government will lift the ban on sales and shipment of meat cows raised in Fukushima and Miyagi Prefectures because the government is satisfied that the radioactive rice hay is now separated from other feed - either under the tarp or buried - so that it will not be fed to the cows.



If I remember right, the worry was not the rice hay but the meat itself, which tested high in radioactive cesium all over Japan as the cows from these two prefectures (and several more in Tohoku) had been sold far and wide because of the suddenly "affordable" price. They were particularly favored by certain cost-conscious municipalities (most notably Yokohama City) that fed the suspected meat to the kindergarteners and school children in school lunches, ignoring protests from the parents.



Humans eat beef not rice hay, as far as I know. But now the ban will be lifted because of ... rice hay storage procedure?



From Mainichi Shinbun (8/18/2011):

政府は１８日、福島県と宮城県で飼育されている肉牛の出荷停止を両県全域で解除する方向で検討に入った。早ければ１９日にも両県知事に解除を指示す る。肉牛から国の暫定規制値（１キロあたり５００ベクレル）を超える放射性セシウムが検出され、政府は７月１９日～８月２日、福島、宮城、岩手、栃木の４ 県に出荷停止を指示したが、解除すれば初めてとなる。



The Japanese government started to prepare for the total lifting of the shipping ban on meat cows raised in Fukushima and Miyagi Prefectures on August 18. The government will instruct the governors of the two prefectures as early as August 19. As radioactive cesium exceeding the provisional national safety limit (500 becquerels/kg) was found in the meat, the government banned the shipping of the cows in Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate, and Tochigi Prefectures between July 19 and August 2. Fukushima and Miyagi would be the first to have the ban lifted.

　農林水産省と厚生労働省、福島、宮城両県は、汚染された稲わらの管理や解体後の牛の放射性物質検査の体制などを協議してきた。その結果、汚染稲わ らを他の飼料と明確に区分してシートで覆ったり、地中に埋めて餌として使用できない状態であることが確認され、食肉処理後のセシウム検査で暫定規制値以下 であれば、出荷を認める方向。

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Fukushima Prefecture and Miyagi Prefecture have been discussing the ways to store the contaminated rice hay and to test radioactive materials after the cows are processed into meat. As the result, [the government is satisfied that] the contaminated rice hay has been confirmed to have been clearly separated from other feed and covered with plastic sheets or to have been buried in the ground so that it cannot be used as feed. As long as the meat tests below the provisional safety limit, the government will allow the shipping.

　政府は岩手、栃木両県についても同様の条件が整い次第、出荷停止を解除する方針。

As soon as the same condition is achieved in Iwate andn Tochigi Prefectures, the government will lift the shipping ban there.

　出荷再開の条件として、厚労省は畜産農家に保管されている汚染稲わらを農家の敷地外に移すよう求めていた。一方、農水省や福島、宮城両県は、保管場所の確保が難しいことを理由に農家の敷地内で牛と隔離した場所に置く方法を主張していた。



The Ministry of Health and Labor wanted the contaminated rice hay out of the cattle farms as a condition to lift the ban. On the other hand, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fukushima/Miyagi Prefectures insisted the rice hay remain within the farms as long as it was separated from the cows, because it would be hard for the farms to secure the storage space outside the farms.

So the Ministry of Health and Labor lost. This is the Ministry that's supposed to protect consumers.



Will they test all the cows? No they won't. Not even in Fukushima. They only test the meat of the cows raised in the planned evacuation zone and evacuation-ready zone right outside the 20 kilometer radius from Fukushima I Nuke Plant. For everywhere else in Fukushima Prefecture, the first cow to be shipped from a cattle farm will be tested. If that passes the test, all cows can be sold.



Even when they do test, they will just do the simple test using "affordable" instruments that cost only a few thousand dollars and take only 15 minutes to test, and as long as the number is below 250 becquerels/kg they won't test further. Only if it goes above 250 becquerels/kg, they will use expensive instruments that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and take 1 hour to test.



What about the news at the end of July that radioactive cesium is NOT distributed evenly in the meat, not even within the same part?



Well, that's not in the manual of elite bureaucrats in these two ministries, and Fukushima and Miyagi would be the last ones to alert them.



So here we go again. Radioactive beef will be force-fed through social pressure, now that the government declares safety. No way to test all meat, and even if they do, one piece of meat may test differently from another piece of the same part. And they won't even tell you whether it is 244 becquerels/kg or 2 becquerels/kg, as long as it is below 250 becquerels/kg.



Fukushima Prefecture, probably in anticipation of the lifting of the ban, has launched a new campaign to push Fukushima produce - vegetables, fruits, meat - using celebrities. "Fukushima Shin Hatsubai (new product launch)" is the campaign.



The governors of these two prefectures will no doubt do the ceremony of "declaration of safety" of their own, and eat the beef in front of the press to appeal safety to the nation and the rest of the world. If they are so brave as the governor of Shizuoka, they will go to a gourmet Japanese restaurant in New York and host an event with some celebrities who (used to) love Japanese cuisine and eat the safe beef that tested below the provisional safety limit of Japan.

More about → Japanese Government Will Lift Shipping Ban on Cows from Fukushima and Miyagi (Hello #Radioactive Beef Again)

#Radioactive Rice Hay in Tochigi: 106,000 Becquerels/Kg Cesium

The Tochigi prefectural government announced the number on July 25. 106,000 becquerels/kg of cesium in the hay is the highest level so far found outside Fukushima Prefecture. If reconstituted, it would be 24,246 becquerels/kg. The safety limit for the cattle feed is 300 becquerels/kg.

The rice hay was collected in a dairy farm in Nasu Shiobara (more than 100 kilometers southwest of Fukushima I Nuke Plant) and sold to the cattle farm in the same City. Something doesn't quite add up to the story of the both sides, though. According to Asahi Shinbun (7/24/2011):

The seller (dairy farmer):

He received the rice hay from a nearby rice farmer in exchange for the manure. He rolled the rice hay into 38 rolls and left them outside. The rice farmer had kept the rice hay in the rice fields after the harvest last fall.

He then sold the rolled rice hay to the cattle farmer via his acquaintance, by saying "it cannot be used as feed". "I never imagined the hay would be fed to the cows."

The buyer (cattle farmer):

"I was never told that the hay was rolled on March 20. If I had known, I wouldn't have bought it."

The middleman:

He got 16 rolls of rice hay from the dairy farmer on April 4 to sell them to the cattle farmer. The dairy farmer told him that the hay was probably radioactive, but the middleman, the dairy farmer's acquaintance, answered that the cattle farmer would use it for composting.

As it's reported by Asahi, the middleman looks bad, but all of them may have changed stories once radioactive cesium was found from the meat and the hay.

Even if they all changed stories, that's nothing compared to the story-changing by the Japanese government since the nuclear disaster started. The national government was the one who propagated their "truth" that the further away from Fukushima I Nuke Plant one got, the safer and the less exposure to the radiation. No need to worry at all, said Dr. Shunichi "100 millisieverts are safe" Yamashita, to the residents living outside 30 kilometer radius.

Farmers in Nasu Shiobara in Tochigi Prefecture, located more than 100 kilometers southwest from the nuke plant, probably had little reason to believe their fields were contaminated, unless they happened to be looking up information on the Internet.

More about → #Radioactive Rice Hay in Tochigi: 106,000 Becquerels/Kg Cesium

#Radiation in Japan Spreads: Wheat, Rapeseeds in Fukushima, Rice Hay Outside Fukushima Far Exceeding Safety Limit

No surprise to anyone who didn't trust the Japanese government.

From Asahi Shinbun (11:14PM JST 7/25/2011):

福島県は２５日、同県広野町の農家が収穫した小麦から、基準値を超える放射性セシウムが検出されたと発表した。この小麦は市場に流通していないという。小麦で基準値を超えた放射性物質の検出は初めて。

Fukushima Prefecture announced on July 25 that radioactive cesium exceeding the provisional limit was detected from the wheat harvested at a farm in Hirono-machi [23 kilometers south of Fukushima I Nuke Plant] in Fukushima Prefecture. The prefectural government says the wheat hasn't been sold in the market. It is the first time that radioactive cesium exceeding the limit has been detected in wheat.

　県によると、今月１９日にサンプルとして採取した小麦から、基準（１キログラムあたり５００ベクレル）を超える同６３０ベクレルの放射性セシウムが検出された。県は農家に出荷自粛を要請した。同県の昨年度の小麦生産量は６５１トンで、全国２５位。

According to the prefectural government, 630 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium was found in a sample taken on July 19. The prefectural government has asked the farm to withhold shipment on a voluntary basis. Fukushima Prefecture ranks No. 25th in wheat production in Japan, with 651 tonnes produced last year.

　また、同県田村市の農家が収穫したナタネからも、基準を超える同７２０ベクレルの放射性セシウムが検出された。流通はしておらず、県は出荷自粛を要請した。

Also, 720 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium has been detected in the rapeseeds harvested by a farm in Tamura City [41 kilometers west of Fukushima I Nuke Plant] in Fukushima. The rapeseeds haven't been shipped, and the prefectural government has asked the farm to withhold shipment on a voluntary basis.

Don't overly count on the statement that these crops haven't yet been sold in the market. That's as far as the farmer has told the government, or as far as the government can tell, which may not be much.

Also, for those who are wondering: When the government asks a farmer to withhold shipment "on a voluntary basis", it means that technically the farmer is free to ship but the government expects the farmer not to ship, and the farmer will not get compensated for not shipping because it is done on a "voluntary basis" - i.e. on his own judgment, technically. The government thus saves money. It is a code word used by the government that means "You are not supposed to ship, but we won't pay you for your potential loss."

Also from Asahi (4:49AM JST 7/26/2011):

茨城県は２５日、茨城県高萩市の農家で集められた稲わらから６万４千ベクレルの放射性セシウムを検出したと発表した。乾燥前の水を含んだ状態に換算すると約１万４５００ベクレルで、国の基準値（１キロあたり３００ベクレル）の４８倍となる。この農家からは牛は出荷されていなかった。

Ibaraki Prefecture announced on July 25 that 64,000 becquerels/kg of cesium was detected from the rice hay collected at a farm in Takahagi City [83 kilometers south of Fukushima I Nuke Plant] in Ibaraki Prefecture. If reconstituted, the level of radioactive cesium in the hay would be 14,500 becquerels/kg, more than 48 times the national safety limit [for the feed] of 300 becquerels/kg. No cow has been shipped from this farm.

　これまで福島、宮城、栃木、岩手各県で地元産の稲わらを与えた牛の肉から基準値を超えるセシウムが検出されている。

So far, radioactive cesium exceeding the safety limit has been detected in the meat from cows that were fed with the rice hay collected in Fukushima, Miyagi, Tochigi, and Iwate Prefectures.

So now in Ibaraki. The US government's decision to evacuate its citizens outside 80 kilometers radius from Fukushima I Nuke Plant, which has been criticized by some in the US media as "overreaction", has turned out to be the very prudent thing to do; maybe that wasn't even far enough, considering Takahagi City is outside that zone.

More about → #Radiation in Japan Spreads: Wheat, Rapeseeds in Fukushima, Rice Hay Outside Fukushima Far Exceeding Safety Limit

Over 2,600 Meat Cows Suspected of Being Fed with Radioactive Rice Hay

The number was 1,697 yesterday, and to that, 944 cows from Miyagi Prefecture alone were added overnight, bringing the total to at least 2,641.

Tokyo Shinbun, citing Kyodo News (7/23/2011):

宮城県は２３日、原発事故後に集めた稲わらを肉牛に与えていた県内の農家から、新たに汚染の疑いがある９４４頭が東京、山形、宮城、神奈川、千葉、新潟の１都５県に出荷されたと発表した。県の出荷総数は計１１８３頭となった。

Miyagi Prefecture announced on July 23 that additional 944 meat cows from Miyagi Prefecture suspected of being fed with rice hay collected after the Fukushima I Nuke Plant accident had been shipped to 6 prefectures - Tokyo, Yamagata, Miyagi, Kanagawa, Chiba and Niigata. The total number of potentially contaminated cows shipped from Miyagi is now 1,183.

　県によると、新たに１７戸の農家が保管していた稲わらから国の暫定基準値を超える放射性セシウムが検出され、うち１６戸が計６２６頭を出荷していた。

According to Miyagi Prefecture, radioactive cesium exceeding the provisional safety limit for the feed [300 becquerels/kg] was found from the rice hay kept at 17 cattle farms. Total 626 cows had been shipped from 16 of those farms.

　このほか、在庫の稲わらが残っていなかった農家１５戸が３１８頭の肉牛を出荷。稲わらの検査はしていないが、この１５戸についても県は汚染した稲わらを肉牛に与えていた可能性が高いと判断した。

In addition, 318 cows had been shipped from 15 cattle farms whose rice hay wasn't tested because it was all used up. The prefectural government decided it is highly possible that the rice hay fed to the cows was contaminated with cesium.

Miyagi Prefecture has the detailed test results (in Japanese) on its website. The highest radioactive cesium level from the most recent test was 7,822 becquerels/kg in Shiroshi City, located near the prefectural border to Fukushima near the cities that have been found with high radiation areas (Date City, Fukushima City, etc.).

More about → Over 2,600 Meat Cows Suspected of Being Fed with Radioactive Rice Hay

Thus Spread Radiation All Over Japan - Through Contaminated Cows

I had expected the wide spread (other than the radioactive plume from Fukushima I Nuke Plant) of radioactive materials in Japan to occur via the radioactive debris in the Tohoku region as municipalities far away from Fukushima are asked to receive debris for burning and burying to help clean Tohoku after the earthquake/tsunami (and conveniently missing is a mention of nuke accident).

That can still happen, but it is the radioactive beef from the cows that ate radioactive rice hay that have brought radiation everywhere in Japan.

Now, in the latest tally by NHK, at least 1,698 cows may have eaten the rice hay with high level of radioactive cesium, and they have been shipped and sold in every prefecture in Japan except Okinawa.

An increasing number of Japanese don't believe it's just about the rice hay and the cows, although the government has been trying its best to focus people's attention to them.

(And where there's cesium, there's strontium, as the Nuclear Safety Commission said in early June, when the Ministry of Education announced the discovery of strontium 62 kilometers from Fukushima I Nuke Plant in April and May.)

From NHK News Japanese (4:55AM JST 7/23/2011):

ＮＨＫのまとめによりますと、放射性セシウムを含んだ疑いのある稲わらを肉牛に与えていた畜産農家は、▽宮城県で３６戸、▽福島県で２５戸、▽新潟県で １５戸、▽岩手県で１２戸、▽山形県、秋田県、岐阜県でそれぞれ６戸、▽群馬県と埼玉県でそれぞれ２戸、それに▽北海道と茨城県、栃木県、静岡県、三重 県、島根県でそれぞれ１戸で、１５の県の合わせて１１６戸に上っています。また、こうした農家から出荷された肉牛は、少なくとも１６９７頭に上り、流通先 は沖縄県を除く４６都道府県に広がっています。

According to NHK's tally, the number of cattle farms: 36 in Miyagi; 25 in Fukushima; 15 in Niigata; 12 in Iwate; 6 in Yamagata; 6 in Akita; 6 in Gifu; 2 in Gunma; 2 in Saitama; and 1 each in Hokkaido, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Shizuoka, Mie, and Shimane. Total of 116 cattle farms in 15 prefectures shipped at least 1,697 cows to 46 prefectures, expect to Okinawa.

By the way, Okinawa Prefecture does not have a nuclear power plant, and has received hardly any radioactive plume from Fukushima I Nuke Plant as far as I've seen in the radiation dispersion forecasts by European meteorological institutes. Clean air, clean water, good food. (Well, until those nuclear reactors in Taiwan start to break down in a big earthquake there...)

More about → Thus Spread Radiation All Over Japan - Through Contaminated Cows

Another Premium Japanese Beef (Yonezawa Beef) Affected by On-Going Cesium Scare in Beef and Rice Hay

From NHK Kabun (science and culture division) Blog's tweet on July 22:

国の目安を超える濃度の放射性セシウムを含んだ稲わらが肉牛に与えられていた問題で、山形県のブランド、米沢牛を認定している協議会が今月いっぱい競りを中止し牛の出荷を自粛するなど、福島県以外の肉牛の生産地でも出荷の自粛が相次いでいます

In response to the radioactive rice hay that's been fed to the meat cows, the council that manages the Yonezawa-gyu (cow) brand in Yamagata Prefecture has decided to halt the auction for the remainder of this month and stop the shipment of cows voluntarily. This voluntary halt of shipment is spreading in the beef producing areas outside Fukushima Prefecture.

Matsusaka-gyu in Mie Prefecture has been detected with radioactive cesium, though well below the provisional safety limit of 500 becquerels/kg, which by the way allows for the radiation from radioactive cesium up to 5 millisieverts per year.

Last to be affected by this radioactive beef/hay scandal: Kobe-gyu anyone?

More about → Another Premium Japanese Beef (Yonezawa Beef) Affected by On-Going Cesium Scare in Beef and Rice Hay

Radioactive Cesium from World-Famous Super Premium Matsusaka Beef

The Matsusaka cows ate the rice hay from Miyagi Prefecture that was contaminated with radioactive cesium far exceeding the provisional safety limit for the cattle feed (300 becquerels/kg).

Matsusaka beef is from cows grown exclusively in Matsusaka in Mie Prefecture, and it commands high premium for its marvelous taste and texture due to high fat content rivaling Kobe beef, or so I hear. I've never eaten any of the premium "wagyu" Japanese beef in my life because they are so expensive. Maybe now there's a chance to get them at a reasonable price, if I don't mind cesium.

From NHK Japanese (1:16PM JST 7/22/2011):

肉牛の餌の稲わらから国の目安を超える放射性セシウムが相次いで検出されている問題で、新たに三重県の松阪 牛の飼育農家の稲わらからも国の目安のおよそ２０倍に当たる放射性セシウムが検出されました。すでに出荷された牛のうち、１１頭分の肉からは国の暫定基準 値を超える放射性セシウムは検出されていないということで、三重県は、ほかの牛の肉の流通経路などを調べています。

Radioactive cesium 20 times the safety limit for the feed [300 becquerels/kg] has been detected from the rice hay at a cattle farm that raises Matsusaka-ushi (cow) in Mie Prefecture. Of all the cows that have already been shipped, 11 of them did not have radioactive cesium that exceeded the provisional safety limit for the meat [500 becquerels/kg]. Mie Prefecture is tracing the shipment of the rest of the cows.

三重県によりますと、放射性セシウムが検出されたのは、三重県大紀町の松阪牛の飼育農家にあった餌 の稲わらです。この稲わらには、宮城県登米市で刈り取られ、原発事故があった３月１１日以降にこの農家に納入されたものも含まれていたということで、三重 県が調べたところ、国の目安のおよそ２０倍に当たる放射性セシウムが検出されました。この農家からは、稲わらを食べた可能性のある牛が７０頭出荷されまし たが、このうち、販売店に保管されていた１１頭分の肉からは、国の暫定基準値を超える放射性セシウムは検出されず、最大でも５分の１程度だったということ で、三重県は「この１１頭分については食べても問題ない」としています。そのうえで三重県は、この農家に対し、残っている稲わらを牛に与えないことと牛の 出荷を当面控えるよう求めるとともに、この農家から出荷されたほかの牛の肉の流通経路などを調べています。

According to Mie Prefecture, radioactive cesium was detected from the rice hay kept at a cattle farm in Taiki-cho in Mie Prefecture. The rice hay included the hay harvested in Tome City in Miyagi Prefecture and shipped to the farm after the nuclear plant accident on March 11. The level of cesium was 20 times the safety limit set by the national government for the feed. 70 cows have been shipped from this farm. Radioactive cesium in the meat of 11 of them did not exceed the provisional safety limit [500 becquerels/kg], with maximum of about one-fifth of the safety limit [i.e. 100 becquerels/kg]. Mie Prefecture says "There's no problem if one eats the meat from these 11 cows." Mie Prefecture has asked the farm not to feed cows with the remaining rice hay and to stop shipping the cows for now, while it traces the rest of the cows shipped from the farm.

More about → Radioactive Cesium from World-Famous Super Premium Matsusaka Beef

Japanese National Government, Fukushima Prefectural Government, Industry Groups Plan for Lifting the Shipment Ban on Fukushima Beef

The shipment ban on meat cows in Fukushima was finally put in place on July 19, but on July 20 they already outlined the conditions for lifting the ban.

Fukushima Prefecture hopes to lift the shipment ban placed on the cows in the prefecture by the end of July, according to Fukushima Minyu Shinbun (7/21/2011), a local paper in Fukushima Prefecture.

From what Fukushima Minyu Shinbun describes, the conditions for lifting the ban have been already agreed upon between the parties involved (the national government, the Fukushima prefectural government, and the cattle industry groups).

So what is the plan? Fukushima Minyu is rather vague on that, so we'll go to Asahi Shinbun that has a bit more details. The plan, as it is right now, will serve to obfuscate, give sense of "security" where there's hardly any, and most of all, doesn't cost much because they won't be doing things much differently from what they are doing right now. All parties involved - the national government, the Fukushima prefectural government, the industry groups - are eager to resume shipment, so it will resume as soon as people forget about it. (And stuff those blogs with safety message about cesium!)

Asahi Shinbun (12:33AM JST 7/21/2011):

福島県産の牛の肉から基準を超える放射性セシウムの検出が相次いでいる問題で、原子力災害対策本部（本部長・菅直人首相）は１９日、県全域の肉用牛の出荷停止を県知事に指示した。出荷停止の解除方法の考え方も公表。福島県が提出した肉用牛の管理計画を対策本部が了承して、各畜産農家が計画に基づいた県の検査を経て出荷されることになった。

The Headquarters for the Nuclear Disaster Countermeasures (headed by Prime Minister Naoto Kan) ordered the governor of Fukushima Prefecture to halt shipment of meat cows in all areas of Fukushima. At the same time, the procedure by which the shipment ban would be lifted was also announced. First, Fukushima Prefecture would submit the management plan for the meat cows to the Headquarters, which would approve the submitted plan. Then the each cattle farm would undergo the testing as specified in the plan, and the cows would be shipped.

　厚生労働省は、災害対策本部と福島県が考えている管理計画の概要を明らかにした。計画的避難区域や緊急時避難準備区域など高濃度の放射性物質が検出された地域では、飼育されたすべての牛について、県が解体された時に肉を調べる全頭検査を実施する。

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare disclosed the outline of the management plan as contemplated by the Headquarters and Fukushima Prefecture. In the planned evacuation zone and the emergency evacuation-ready zone where the high levels of radioactive materials have been detected, the prefectural government will conduct testing on all cows after they are processed into meat.

　それ以外の地域では、すべての畜産農家を対象に、県が汚染された稲わらを与えていないかなどを調べる全戸検査をし、その後も２カ月に１回定期的にチェックする。さらに解除後、最初に出荷する際に１頭以上を選び、県が肉の放射性物質検査をする。基準を十分に下回っていれば、その農家が飼育している牛の出荷が当面認められる。東京など県外に出荷することも可能になる。ただ一定期間がすぎたら、再び１頭以上を選んで肉を検査する。

In other areas, all cattle farmers will be surveyed to make sure if the contaminated rice hay is not used, among other things. The survey will be repeated every 2 months. After the shipment ban is lifted, at least one cow will be selected from one cattle farm, and the prefectural government will test the meat for radioactive materials [cesium]. If the amount of radioactive materials is less than the provisional safety limit, all the meat cows at that particular cattle farm will be allowed to be shipped for a time. The farm will be allowed to ship outside Fukushima Prefecture. After a certain period of time, at least one cow from the farm will be tested again.

　福島県内のと畜場は郡山市の１カ所のみ。しかし、厚労省は、年間に最大約９千頭の処理能力があり、牛の解体や牛肉の検査は１カ所でも可能とみる。

Fukushima Prefecture has only one meat processing facility in Koriyama City. However, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare thinks it is possible for this facility to process and test the meat, as it has the capacity to process maximum 9,000 cows per year.

　福島県以外でも、汚染された稲わらを与えられた牛が見つかっている。ただ、厚労省は、出荷停止を検討するのは、牛を飼育している地域の稲わらが汚染されていることが前提とする。汚染された稲わらを遠方から購入して与えていても、その地域のわらが汚染されていなければ、対象とはならないとしている。

The meat cows have been found outside Fukushima Prefecture that were fed with contaminated rice hay. However, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare would only consider the shipment ban if the rice hay in the region where the cows are raised is contaminated. Even if cattle farms in a particular region use contaminated rice hay purchased from distant locations [like Miyagi Prefecture], as long as the rice hay in that region is not contaminated the cows would not be considered for the shipment ban.

Well, needless to say, the "health, labor and welfare" that the Ministry worries about is not of the rest of the Japanese who are not in the cattle business.

Koriyama City, where the rice hay was found to contain 500,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium, or Motomiya City, where the rice hay was found with 690,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium, are OUTSIDE ANY evacuation zone.

On reading the article, I have little doubt that the radioactive beef will be sold just as it has been sold, without much added control at all. There will be less recourse to the consumers, because the beef will be considered "safe" because it will be sold in the marketplace after "vigorous test" approved by the national government and conducted by the Fukushima government.

Next to come? Maybe fine consumers for refusing to eat Fukushima produce, be it beef or vegetables.

More about → Japanese National Government, Fukushima Prefectural Government, Industry Groups Plan for Lifting the Shipment Ban on Fukushima Beef

Radioactive Beef Bento Was Sold on Shinkansen Bullet Trains

Internal radiation spreads far and wide in Japan, as if external one is not enough. Or I should say, "Now they are telling us", when it is too late. Many people already ate the meat from the meat cows that have been only discovered recently to have been fed with radioactive rice hay.

Even the Shinkansen bullet trains were instrumental in spreading the contamination.

JR Tokai announced that the beef from Asakawa-machi in Fukushima Prefecture was used in bento (lunch box) sold on Shinkansen (bullet train). Nothing left of the meat, so no way to test it.

The rice hay from Asakawa-machi has been found to contain the maximum of 97,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium.

By the way, the highest level of radioactive cesium in the rice hay was found in Motomiya City in Fukushima Prefecture, and it was 690,000 becquerels/kg. Motomiya City is located about 57 kilometers west of Fukushima I Nuke Plant. No word yet on what happened to the meat cows that ate the rice hay there.

The government and government-sponsored scholars say there is no need to overly concerned even if you eat the beef that contains radioactive cesium far exceeding the hastily-set provisional safety limit. Just remember, they have no proof. Research on internal radiation is sketchy at best, and was outright prohibited particularly in Japan after the two nuclear bombs at the end of the World War II and after the Dai-Go Fukuryu Maru incident (Bikini Atoll Operation Castle Bravo).

(Well, that would be whole another post.)

From Asahi Shinbun (12:53AM JST 7/21/2011):

　ジェイアール東海パッセンジャーズ（本社・東京都）は２０日、東海道新幹線の車内などで販売した弁当に高濃度の放射性セシウムが検出された稲わらを食べ た牛の肉を使っていたと発表した。使用した肉は３４キロ（約３８７食分）で、いずれも福島県浅川町産。弁当は販売済みだという。

JR Tokai Passengers (headquartered in Tokyo) announced on July 20 that the meat from the cow fed with the rice hay found with high radioactive cesium was used in bento (lunch box) sold on the Shinkansen bullet trains. 34 kilograms of beef from Asakawa-machi, Fukushima Prefecture was used in about 387 bento boxes, which were all sold.

　問題の肉が使われた商品は「牛すき重」と「牛すき（直巻きおにぎり）」。同社の東京と名古屋の工場で製造され、６月１７日から今月１日にかけて東海道新幹線の車内、東京、品川、新横浜、名古屋各駅とリニア・鉄道館（名古屋市）の売店で販売された。

The bento menus for which the beef in question were used are "Beef Sukiyaki" and "Beef Sukiyaki Onigiri (rice ball)". They were prepared in the company's factories in Tokyo and Nagoya, and were sold from June 17 till July 1 on the Tokaido Shinkansen, at JR stations (Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Nagoya) and at a kiosk at the SCMAGLEV and Railway Park in Nagoya City.

　対象の牛の検査は実施されていないため、暫定規制値を超える放射性セシウムを含んでいるかはわからないという。

No test was conducted on the cow, and there is no way of knowing whether the beef contained radioactive cesium that exceeded the provisional safety limit.

More about → Radioactive Beef Bento Was Sold on Shinkansen Bullet Trains

1,458 Meat Cows Possibly Contaminated from Radioactive Rice Hay Have Already Been Sold

Now the case of radioactive rice hay and radioactive beef has blown wide open. First it was only a couple, then a few hundreds, then many hundreds, now it is way over thousand and counting.

It looks more and more like the Minamata mercury poisoning, except this time, it's nationwide.

Yomiuri Shinbun (1:33AM JST 7/21/2011):

高濃度の放射性セシウムに汚染された稲わらが肉牛に与えられていた問題で、岩手、秋田、新潟、群馬、静岡、岐阜の６県は２０日、各県内の畜産農家が汚染の疑いのある稲わらを肉牛に与え、６３７頭を出荷していたと発表した。

6 prefectures announced on July 20 that the cattle farmers in their prefectures had shipped the total of 637 meat cows fed with the rice hay suspected of containing radioactive cesium in high concentration. The prefectures are: Iwate, Akita, Niigata, Gunma, Shizuoka, and Gifu.

これで山形、宮城、福島、新潟各県で判明している約８５０頭を含め、汚染された疑いのある稲わらを食べた牛の出荷数は９県で約１４８５頭になった。各県などは牛の流通経路を調べ、残っている肉については放射性物質の検査をする。

850 meat cows in Yamagata, Miyagi, Fukushima, and Niigata have already been found to have eaten the contaminated rice hay. The total number of meat cows in 9 prefectures that were fed with the contaminated rice hay is now 1,485. The prefectures will track the shipment of the cows, and will conduct the test on the unsold meat.

　秋田、群馬、静岡県で与えられていた稲わらは宮城県産で、岩手県では同県産だった。稲わらから高濃度のセシウムが検出されたのは、福島、宮城に次いで３県目。岩手県では、一関市の３戸と隣接する藤沢町の２戸が計１９頭を東京都に出荷。稲わらからは１キロ・グラムあたり最高値で５万７０００ベクレルのセシウムを検出した。水分を含んだ状態に換算すると国の規制値（３００ベクレル）の４３倍に相当する。

The rice hay used in Akita, Gunma, and Shizuoka was harvested in Miyagi Prefecture. In Iwate, it was harvested within the prefecture, making Iwate the third prefecture to have been found with the rice hay with high radioactive cesium. 3 cattle farmers in Ichinoseki City and 2 cattle farmers in adjacent Fujisawa-machi in Iwate Prefecture shipped 19 meat cows to Tokyo. The rice hay in Iwate was found to contain the maximum of 57,000 becquerels/kg. If the hay is reconstituted with water, the amount of radioactive cesium is 43 times as much as the national safety limit (300 becquerels/kg).

Again, the cows didn't eat "reconstituted" rice hay. They ate the dry rice hay.

If Iwate's hay came from Ichinoseki City and its surrounding area, again it matches the radiation contour map made by Yukio Hayakawa, volcanologist at Gunma University. (For his chart, see my post on July 17).

More about → 1,458 Meat Cows Possibly Contaminated from Radioactive Rice Hay Have Already Been Sold

240 Children in 3 Nursery Schools in Yamagata Prefecture Ate Cesium Beef

This must be the first confirmed case of small children having been fed with the beef contaminated with radioactive cesium.

These small children ate beef from a meat cow in Asakawa-machi in Fukushima Prefecture, and the cow had been fed with the rice hay that contained the maximum 97,000 becuerels/kg of radioactive cesium.

Yamagata Shinbun (7/20/2011) reports:

高濃度の放射性セシウムが検出された稲わらを食べた福島県浅川町産の牛肉が県内で流通していた問題で、酒田市は19日、市内3保育園が4月下旬に問題の牛肉を納入、園児と職員合わせて約290人が給食で食べていたと発表した。

Concerning the beef from the cows from Asakawa-machi in Fukushima Prefecture that were fed with the rice hay that contained the high level of radioactive cesium, Sakata City (in Yamagata Prefecture) announced on July 19 that 3 nursery schools in the city purchased the beef in late April, and total 290 children and teachers ate the meat in school lunches.

　酒田市によると、問題の牛肉を消費したのは▽市立八幡（4月28日納入）▽市立市条（同）▽私立亀ケ崎（4月26日納入）－の3保育園。いずれも同市内の食材業者が納入し、各園が当日のうちにハッシュドビーフに調理、給食として提供した。園児約240人と職員50人が、1人当たり20～40グラムを食べた。

According to Sakata City, the three nursery schools purchased the meat from the same food grocer in the city. The meat was cooked into "hashed beef" dish and served as lunch. 240 children and 50 teachers and administrators ate 20 to 40 grams per person.

　食材業者から各保育園に対する連絡で判明。酒田市が牛肉の履歴を調査したところ、福島県浅川町産で横浜市中央卸売市場食肉市場から出荷された牛肉が3保育園に納入されたことを確認した。

The food grocer alerted the nursery schools [after the news of contaminated rice hay in Asakawa-machi broke]. Sakata City traced the history of the meat, and confirmed that the meat that was delivered to the three nursery schools came from the Yokohama City Central Wholesale Meat Market, and the cow had come from Asakawa-machi in Fukushima Prefecture.

　同市は19日、3保育園の保護者に内容を通知する一方、安全が確認されるまで給食で牛肉の使用を控えることを決めた。

The city notified the parents of children at these nursery schools on July 19, and decided not to use beef in school lunches until the safety is assured.

　県食品安全衛生課は「保育園で提供された牛肉は在庫がなく放射性物質検査は行えない」とする一方、「浅川町産の牛肉については高濃度に汚染された可能性は低いとみられる。国の暫定基準値（1キログラム当たり500ベクレル）の2倍の放射性セシウムを含んだ肉を40グラム食べたとしても、人体への影響に換算すると0.76マイクロシーベルトと低いレベルなので過度に心配する必要はない」と説明している。

The food safety division of the Yamagata prefectural government says "There is no way to test for radioactive materials in the beef that was served in the nursery schools, because there is no inventory left." But it also says, "It is not very likely that the meat from Asakawa-machi was highly contaminated. Even if you eat 40 grams of beef that contains radioactive cesium twice the national safety limit (of 500 becquerels/kg), it would be only 0.76 microsievert in human body. There is no need to worry excessively."

I hope parents in Yamagata remember their words. The meat can't even be tested and the Yamagata prefectural government tells these kids and parents there's no need to worry because there can't be much cesium in that meat.

By the way, the national government formally ban the shipment of cows out of Fukushima. That means the cattle farmers are now entitled to government (aka taxpayers-funded) compensation for lost business.

What would consumers who already ate the meat get? Some supermarkets say they will refund the purchase money.

Ah. Health and life are both cheap in Japan.

More about → 240 Children in 3 Nursery Schools in Yamagata Prefecture Ate Cesium Beef

#Radioactive Hay Spreads to Niigata Prefecture

Two cattle farmers in Nagaoka City in Niigata Prefecture bought rice hay for their cows from a seller in Miyagi Prefecture and fed their cows. 24 cows were later sold in Niigata and Tokyo. Now the rice hay has been found to contain 10,500 to 20,600 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium.

Niigata Prefecture is on the Japan Sea side, and is most noted for its excellent premium rice brand, "Koshihikari".

Many Japanese thought Niigata was relatively safe from radioactive fallout from Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant. Unfortunately there are more than one way to get the fallout, and buying rice hay from Miyagi (not even Fukushima) was one of them.

(Radioactive cesium of Fukushima-origin was indeed detected from the raw milk in Niigata.)

By the way, it turns out that the rice hay that cattle farmers in Tohoku fed their cows with was not due to the shortage or unavailability of other types of feed. Rice hay is an integral part of the cows' diet, as it nicely blend fat with the red meat ("Shimofuri") when ingested. So the cattle farmers feed their meat cows with rice hay before the cows are sent to be processed.

If that's the case, it looks like the bureaucrats in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries didn't know how the cattle farming was done, but the farmers must have assumed that these government bureaucrats knew what they were doing and issued orders to the farmers accordingly.

Government regulations crafted by the desk-bound bureaucrats serve to dull the keen sense of the farmers on the fields. For that matter, of anybody. The answer isn't "more regulations" (just look at the current sets of regulations have done so far) but sadly that's what people will be calling for.

From Jiji Tsushin (7/18/2011):

新潟県は18日、同県長岡市の畜産農家2戸が保管していた宮城県産稲わらから、国の暫定規制値（1キロ当たり300ベクレル）を超える1万500～2万 600ベクレルの放射性セシウムを検出したと発表した。乾燥する前の水分を含んだ状態に換算すると、規制値の8～15倍に相当する。うち1戸の農家からは 新潟県内と東京都のと畜場に肉牛計24頭が出荷されたことも分かった。これらの農家はいずれも宮城県内の業者から稲わらを購入したという。

Niigata Prefecture announced on July 18 that 10,500 to 20,600 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium was detected from the rice hay at two cattle farms in Nagaoka City in Niigata. The rice hay was harvested in Miyagi Prefecture. The provisional safety limit for cattle feed is 300 becquerels/kg for cesium. If the rice hay is reconstituted with water, the above numbers are 8 to 15 times the limit of the provisional safety limit. It has been revealed that one of the two farms shipped 24 meat cows in Niigata and Tokyo. Both farms purchased the rice hay from a dealer in Miyagi Prefecture.

　新潟県は2戸に対し、この稲わらを与えた牛の出荷や移動の自粛を要請するとともに、流通状況の調査を開始した。県内で宮城県産の稲わらを使用している他の農家が保管する稲わらを対象に、セシウム検査も実施する。　

Niigata Prefecture has requested the two cattle farms not to ship or move the cows that have been fed with the contaminated rice hay, and started to trace the movement of the cows already shipped. The prefectural government will also test for cesium in the rice hay at other cattle farms in the prefecture who use the rice hay from Miyagi Prefecture.

More about → #Radioactive Hay Spreads to Niigata Prefecture

#Radioactive Rice Hay Found in Miyagi Prefecture

in three locations in two cities that are150 kilometers north of Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant.

In response to the radioactive rice hay found in Fukushima Prefecture that contained up to 500,000 becquerels/kg of cesium, Miyagi Prefecture did the survey of rice hay in three locations in two cities, Kurihara City and Tome City, north of Sendai City. Maximum 3,600 becquerels/kg of cesium was found in the rice hay, which had been used by the cattle farmers to feed their cows.

Sankei Shinbun (7/15/2011) reported the comment of the cattle farmers:

「大変憤慨している」－。宮城県登米市の肉用牛農家の男性（５８）は声を荒らげた。「稲わらは秋に田んぼから収集したものだけを牛に食べさせているが、経 営への打撃は大きい」と話す。「まさかここまで（放射能が）飛んでくるとは夢にも思わなかった。...」

"I am very upset", says a cattle farmer in Tome City in Miyagi Prefecture. "I've been feeding the cows with the rice hay collected from the rice fields last fall. This is a big blow to my farm. I never imagined that the radioactive materials would fly this far. "

The Miyagi prefectural government's instruction to cattle farmers were: "Do not use the rice hay collected after the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident." So, following the instruction, the cattle farmers were feeding their cows with the rice hay collected last fall.

This is the radiation contour map created by Professor Yukio Hayakawa, the volcanologist at Gunma University. Notice the arm that goes north from the Fukushima I Nuke Plant and curl left. Kurihara and Tome are right below the curl. If only someone had shown the map to the cattle farmers there ...

Or if only someone had shown the cattle farmers the radioactive materials dispersion forecast by ZAMG, German Weather Bureau, or Norwegian Weather Bureau early in the accident, they would have seen that Miyagi Prefecture was almost constantly under the radioactive plume from the nuke plant.

More about → #Radioactive Rice Hay Found in Miyagi Prefecture

#Fukushima Cattle Farmers Used Rice Hay Because It Wasn't Regulated

143 meat cows from Fukushima went to at least 35 prefectures (out of 47) and counting (Kyodo News English 7/17/2011). Assuming 300 kg per cow, and you have 43 tonnes of beef plus unknown amount of cows' innards (kidney, liver, heart, etc.) that the Japanese also eat.

All these cows were fed with radioactive rice hay. The rice growers sold the rice hay, and the cattle farmers fed the rice hay, because there was no government regulation on radiation concerning the storage, sale, and use of the rice hay.

The authorities will probably have to find out where else the radioactive rice hay has been sold. The rice hay in Koriyama City in Fukushima tested 500,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium, enough to contaminate non-contaminated cows elsewhere in Japan.

From Fukushima Minyu (7/16/2011):

浅川町の肉用牛農家が餌として与えた稲わらから高濃度の放射性セシウムが検出された問題で、浅川町の肉用牛農家には白河市の稲作農家でつくる生産者グループを通じて稲わらが販売され、浅川町の農家、白河市の生産者グループ双方とも、稲わらの管理や販売に関する国や県からの指示がなかったと話していることが１５日分かった。

Regarding the high level of radioactive cesium detected from the rice hay that was fed to the meat cows at a cattle farm in Asakawa-machi, it was revealed on July 15 that the rice producer group in Shirakawa City (which is located adjacent to Asakawa-machi) sold the rice hay to the cattle farm. Both the cattle farm in Asakawa-machi and the rice producer group in Shirakawa City say there was no instruction from the national government or the Fukushima prefectural government regarding the storage and the sale of the rice hay.

　牛の餌に関する国、県の放射線検査は、東京電力福島第１原発事故後に成長した牧草を対象に行われてきたが、稲わらは検査の対象外だった。南相馬市の肉用牛から高濃度のセシウムが検出された際も餌の稲わらが汚染源と判明、検査態勢の甘さが浮き彫りとなった。

The radiation testing of cattle feed has been done only on grass feed that has grown after the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident, but the rice hay was never considered for testing. It turned out that the high level of cesium detected in the meat cows from Minami-Soma City was also due to the rice hay fed to the cows. The government's lax testing procedure is now coming to light.

I do have sympathy for cattle farmers and their suppliers in Tohoku, but when I read the news I am disappointed that they simply followed the guidance (in this case the lack thereof) from the government and not used their common sense that the hay sitting outside or rolled after the Fukushima accident might be contaminated with radioactive materials and it would be better to treat it the same way as the grass feed, which was regulated. Instead, they decided to use the rice hay, or sell it, because the government didn't have any rule on it.

I also understand the farmers' situation that there was nothing else to feed their cows, since the supply of cattle feed got interrupted by the earthquake/tsunami and then by the Fukushima accident. So they were trying to find a way to feed their cows, and they found the rice hay, which was outside the regulation. So they fed the cows with the rice hay and hoped for the best.

If the grass feed that was growing outside since the accident was contaminated, it doesn't take much imagination to figure out that the same radioactive materials might be also falling on the rice hay.

You may ask, "What should they have done, then? Let the cows starve?"

I don't know. But they should have raised bloody hell demanding the government, the prefecture, TEPCO, anyone at all anywhere, provide them with clean feed. Instead, they persevered, quietly figured out the way to save the cows. A very Japanese way.

However, there's another "baseless rumor" floating around: That the radioactive rice hay is a red herring, and the real culprit is the well water that the cows had been drinking. But the government, both national and prefectural, would dare not say that and dare not test it because they are planning on forcing people back into these areas with the declaration of the "step 1" of TEPCO's "roadmap" having been successfully completed.

More about → #Fukushima Cattle Farmers Used Rice Hay Because It Wasn't Regulated

84 Additional Meat Cows That Ate Radioactive Hay Already Shipped to 5 Prefectures

In one case, the rice hay that the cows ate had 500,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium.

Professor Kosako's "chaotic harvest season" must be now.

84 more meat cows from Fukushima that ate highly radioactive hay were discovered by Fukushima Prefecture, as the prefectural government started to test rice hay fed to the cows.

From Mainichi Shinbun Japanese (2:41PM JST 7/16/2011):

福島県は１６日、新たに放射性セシウムを含んでいたとみられる稲わらを食べた肉牛８４頭が、福島県内を含め東京、埼玉、山形、宮城の５都県に出荷されていたことが分かったと発表した。

Fukushima Prefecture announced on July 16 that 84 additional meat cows that had been fed the potentially radioactive rice hay were shipped inside Fukushima, and to Tokyo, Saitama, Yamagata, and Miyagi Prefectures.

　福島県によると、出荷した畜産農家はいずれも県内で、▽郡山市２軒▽喜多方市２軒▽相馬市１軒－－の計５軒。このうち郡山市の農家に残っていた稲 わらから１キロ当たり５０万ベクレルの放射性セシウムを検出した。ほかに、相馬市で１２万３０００ベクレル、喜多方市で３万９０００ベクレルの値だった。

According to the Fukushima prefectural government, the cattle farms were located in Koriyama City (2 farms), Kitakata City (2 farms) and Soma City (1 farm). The rice hay from one farm in Koriyama City tested 500,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium. In the farm in Soma City, the hay had 123,000 becquerels/kg cesium, and in Kitakata, 39,000 becquerels/kg.

These cities are much further away from Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant than Minami-Soma City, where the first case of radioactive beef was traced back.

Distance and direction from Fukushima I Nuke Plant:

• Koriyama City: 60 kilometers, west
  

• Kitakata City: 105 kilometers, west by northwest
  

• Soma City: 43 kilometers, north
  

If the rice hay left on the rice fields accumulated that much radioactivity, particularly in Koriyama, it is definitely not fit for humans to remain. Not to mention the rice field is not fit for growing rice, though it is far too late, as the rice fields in Tohoku are already long planted.

More about → 84 Additional Meat Cows That Ate Radioactive Hay Already Shipped to 5 Prefectures

#Radioactive Beef from Fukushima Sold in 26 Prefectures

The meat from the cows that ate highly radioactive rice hay in Fukushima has been shipped, sold, and consumed in many cases in 26 prefectures in Japan. There are 47 prefectures in Japan.

When the news first broke, the meat was supposed to have been sold in only several prefectures; then 8 then 10, now 26 and counting.

People, from Mayor of Yokohama City on down, say "We thought it was safe because it was being sold in the market."

According to NHK's Kabun (Science and Culture) Blog's tweet, the prefectures are:

Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Niigata, Nagano, Miyagi, Yamagata, Iwate, Akita, Fukushima, Aichi, Ishikawa, Fukui, Yamanashi, Shizuoka, Osaka, Kyoto, Mie, Hyogo, Ehime, Kagawa, Fukuoka.

The only prefectures in the eastern half of Japan that haven't been found with the contaminated beef are: Toyama, Aomori, Hokkaido

The Japanese people who are against nuclear power plants had better start demonstrating against radioactive food and radioactive garbage, among other things, that have been forced on them through the government action (like raising the safety limit for radioactive garbage ashes) and non-action (like not testing rice hay for radiation). They may get their wish of nuke-free Japan, but unless they start to fight the small details right now, the nuke-free Japan may become inhabitable.

More about → #Radioactive Beef from Fukushima Sold in 26 Prefectures

#Radioactive Beef from Fukushima: Nearly 100K Becquerels/Kg Cesium in the Hay in a Town Near Shirakawa City, 60KM from the Nuke Plant

Move over, Minami Soma City!

The hay that's been fed to meat cows in one cattle farm in Asakawa-machi in Fukushima Prefecture, adjacent to Shirakawa City and about 60 kilometers from Fukushima I Nuke Plant has tested 97,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium.

530 becquerels/kg of cesium have been also detected from the urine of a cow at the farm.

This particular farm has sold 42 meat cows in 4 prefectures since April. Most of them have gone to the Tokyo metropolitan area (Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba) as meat cows, and Tokyo received the meat in addition from Sendai City after the cows that went there were processed.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, in charge of measuring radiation once the meat cows are processed into meat, will measure the radiation and will let us know if any exceeds the provisional limit.

Fukushima Prefecture has asked the prefecture's cattle farms to stop shipping cows, on a voluntary basis.

More from Mainichi Shinbun Japanese (7/14/2011):

福島県南相馬市内から出荷された牛から暫定規制値（１キロ当たり５００ベクレル）を超える放射性セシウムが検出された問題で、同県は１４日、同県浅川町の畜産農家でも、高濃度の放射性セシウムを含む稲わらを餌として肉牛に与えていたと発表した。この農家が、震災後の４月以降に東京、神奈川、千葉、宮城の４都県に４２頭の肉牛を出荷していたことも確認した。いずれも食肉処理され、肉は山形、岩手両県にも出荷された。福島県は各自治体に流通状況などの調査を依頼している。

Fukushima Prefecture announced on July 14 that a cattle farm in Asakawa-machi in Fukushima Prefecture has been feeding the meat cows with highly radioactive hay. It's been also confirmed that this farm has sold 42 cows in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Miyagi Prefectures. They have been all processed into meat, and the meat has been also sold in Yamagata and Iwate Prefecture. Fukushima Prefecture has asked these prefectures to track the meat.

　県や厚生労働省、農林水産省によると、浅川町の畜産農家が餌として与えていた稲わらから放射性セシウムが１キロ当たり最高で９万７０００ベクレル検出され、現在飼育中の牛の尿からも同５３０ベクレル検出された。南相馬市のケースで稲わらから検出されたのは１キロ当たり７万５０００ベクレルだった。

According to Fukushima Prefecture, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, max 97,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium has been detected in the hay that has been fed to the cows at a cattle farm in Asakawa-machi. 530 becquerels/kg of cesium has also been detected from the urine of a cow at the farm. In Minami-Soma City, the amount of radioactive cesium detected from the hay was 75,000 becquerels/kg.

　この農家から１２日に「４月に稲わらを搬入してもらったが心配だ」と連絡があり、県が調査した。稲わらは、同県白河市の業者が原発事故後の３月１５～２０日ごろに商品としてロール化し、４戸に販売されたが、他３戸は出荷前の牛には与えていないとしているという。

The cattle farm notified the Fukushima prefectural government on July 12 that the farm was worried about the hay it purchased in April. The hay had been rolled by a dealer in the adjacent Shirakawa City between March 15 and 20, and sold to 4 cattle farms. The other 3 farms say they have never fed the cows with the hay.

　県は、県内の全畜産農家約４０００戸に当面の牛の出荷と移動の自粛を要請した。

Fukushima Prefecture has asked the prefecture's 4,000 cattle farms not to sell or move the cows for the time being, on a voluntary basis.

　出荷された４２頭の内訳は▽横浜市に４月８～２０日に計１４頭▽千葉県に５月１１日に５頭▽東京都に４月２１日～６月１６日に１３頭▽仙台市に５月２３日～７月６日に１０頭。このうち、問題の稲わらを食べさせたのは３５頭という。４２頭の個体識別番号は判明しており、厚労省は肉を回収し、規制値超過が確認できた時点で番号を公表する方針。

Of 42 meat cows from this farm,

• 14 cows to Yokohama City, from April 8 to 20

• 5 cows to Chiba Prefecture on May 11

• 13 cows to Tokyo, from April 21 to June 16

• 10 cows to Sendai City from May 23 to July 6

35 cows out of 42 ate the radioactive hay, according to the farm. All 42 cows have unique identification numbers assigned. The Ministry of Health will collect the unsold meat, and will anounce the numbers IF the meat is found with radioactive cesium that exceeds the provisional limit (500 becquerels/kg).

　仙台市によると、１０頭のうち２頭は今月６日に同市宮城野区で解体され、肉計約８００キロが出荷された。内訳は▽４２０キロが東京都港区▽３５９．９キロが山形県酒田市▽８キロが岩手県花巻市▽１．４キロが仙台市宮城野区。

According to Sendai City, 2 cows were processed into meat on July 6 in Miyagino District in the city, and about 800 kilograms of meat have been sold. The meat has gone to:

• 420 kg to Minato-ku, Tokyo

• 359.9 kg to Sakata City in Yamagata Prefecture

• 8 kg to Hanamaki City in Iwate Prefecture

• 1.4 kg in Miyagino District in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture.

　宮城野区に出荷された肉は市販前で倉庫に保管中。酒田市への出荷分も大半が保管中で、山形県内で消費された分はなく、１７・９キロが宮城県内の食肉卸業者に販売されたという。

The meat in Miyagino District hasn't been sold and is kept in the warehouse. Most of the shipment to Sakata City is also in the warehouse. There has been no consumption of the meat in Yamagata Prefecture [hasn't been sold to consumers yet], and 17.9 kg have been sold to a meat wholesaler in Miyagi Prefecture.

More about → #Radioactive Beef from Fukushima: Nearly 100K Becquerels/Kg Cesium in the Hay in a Town Near Shirakawa City, 60KM from the Nuke Plant