April 24, 2006

US unlikely to lift restrictions on Canadian cattle this year

The US would lift bans on cattle older than 30 months and boned-in beef eventually, but probably not this year, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns told a Washington news conference last week.

Changes may not be forthcoming this year as recent cases of mad cow in Canada have set back the dateline for lifting restrictions.

The US banned all Canadian cattle and beef in May 2003 after Canada's first mad-cow case. Months later, pressure from the courts prompted the US to allow a partial resumption by importing younger Canadian cattle and boneless beef.

The USDA had said back then that it hoped to lift all restrictions eventually.

There have now been eight confirmed cases of mad-cow disease in North America -- five in Canada and three in the US.