OMAHA ? When Japan banned U.S. beef in 2003 because of mad cow fears, the industry braced for a big financial hit, with job losses spilling into Midwest feedlots, supply companies and retailers.

So when Japan agreed to lift the ban – contingent on Japanese checks of U.S. beef plants – many assumed that the inspectors would be welcomed everywhere with open arms.

While 35 American beef processing plants – including a Tyson Foods Inc. plant in Holcomb – are submitting to the inspections, thousands of other plants have opted out, deciding not to bother with exporting.

“There are a lot of guys who don’t want to go through the hassle of these inspections,” said Deven Scott, executive vice president of the North American Meat Processors Assn.

Japanese inspectors began visiting U.S. beef processing plants June 24 after an agreement was brokered to restore the once-lucrative beef trade with Japan that used to account for about $1.4 billion a year and 10 percent of U.S. beef sales.

The one-month audit will tour 35 meatpacking plants to ensure the facilities comply with Japanese import regulations. Inspectors also will review procedures at ranches, feedlots and mills. The Japanese inspectors are visiting seven beef processing plants in Nebraska.

While many of the small and mid-sized processing plants Scott represents would like a taste of the export market, most smaller plants lack the resources needed to comply with international trade regulations and don’t produce enough beef to be competitive with large meat processors like Tyson Foods Inc.

The Japanese inspections are scheduled to continue through July 21, and U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesman Ed Loyd said U.S. officials hope Japan will lift its ban within weeks of the completion of inspections.

Steve Sands, chief executive of Premium Protein, said he was expecting a thorough review when the Japanese visit his company’s plant at Hastings, Neb., but the higher prices export markets offer for certain cuts of meat make the process worth it.

Sands said his company expects to sell 15 to 20 percent of its products in foreign markets once the trade is restored with Japan and other countries.