March 4, 2004
 
 
Mexico To Allow Limited US Beef Imports

Mexico's Agriculture Ministry announced that it would allow the import for deboned meat from cows under 30 months of age and veal meat from heifers under nine months of age.
 
"This guarantees that meat that has been at the border since the ban, as well as high risk products and live animals, will not enter the country," the ministry said.
 
Mexico banned imports of all U.S. cattle and beef on Dec. 24 after bovine spongiform encephalopathy was discovered in a single Holstein in Washington state. Prior to the ban, Mexico was the second-biggest importer of U.S. beef.
 
Mexican agriculture officials had previously said they would consider making exceptions to import cuts of beef that weren't close to the nervous system.
 
The ministry said Wednesday that it is still evaluating risks for other banned beef products and live cattle.