January 19, 2004

US Expects Mexico Beef Ban Lifted Soon

U.S. Department of Agriculture Undersecretary J.B. Penn expects Mexico to lift its ban on US beef soon as only a few matters need to be cleared up between the two countries before that happens.

Penn said the Mexican technical team that was in the U.S. this week to discuss the U.S. case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad-cow disease, were mostly satisfied with the way the USDA had implemented new BSE safety measures, but some questions they had were left unanswered.

"We're going to respond to those questions...but it's a matter of them now being able to go home and say to their consumers and their cattle industry that (the U.S. has done its) due diligence."

Penn declined to give an exact prediction on when Mexico will begin allowing U.S. beef across the border, but he did say "it shouldn't be very long" before they do.

Mexico imported $819 million worth of beef from the U.S. in the first 11 months of 2003 before the USDA announced it discovered a BSE in December, according to data compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation. Mexico is the second largest market for U.S. beef behind Japan.

Mexican Agriculture Secretary Javier Usabiaga confirmed that Mexico will indeed ease its ban on U.S. beef once Mexico is satisfied that the U.S. has implemented new BSE safety measures, such as prohibiting the slaughter of nonambulatory, or downer, cattle that are unable to stand or walk.

Usabiaga, who met Friday with USDA Secretary Ann Veneman and Canadian Agriculture Minister Bob Speller, also stressed it will be important that Mexican consumers are satisfied that U.S. beef is safe.

After the Friday meeting, Veneman told reporters that all three agriculture leaders had agreed to increase cooperation to form a stronger working relationship on food safety.

In response to a media question, Veneman said they have agreed to consider coordinating efforts to improve livestock feed rules, but she stressed no details were discussed.