May 6, 2004
USDA Maintains Ban on Most Canadian Beef
The U.S. Department of Agriculture agreed to extend a federal judge's order to prevent the import of certain "high risk" cuts of beef from Canada.
Under pressure from Canada and large multi- national meat packing corporations, USDA had sought to circumvent its own rulemaking by quietly allowing shipments of Canadian beef that are at higher risk of carrying Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, than boneless cuts of beef. Instead, USDA agreed to extend a restraining order that had been granted in a suit filed by Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America.
On April 26, Federal District Judge Richard Cebull granted R-CALF USA's request for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to immediately halt the expansion of beef imports from Canada. The expansion of such imports would have reduced the U.S. standard for protection against mad cow disease to below the minimum standard used around the world.
The Judge's order was based not only on the risks that beef from Canada could pose to U.S. consumers. It also considered USDA's failure to complete its own rulemaking process on the issue, and on the Department's admission that it had allowed imports of beef from Canada in contravention of its own announced policy.
According to the judge's order, imports of Canadian bone-in beef, ground beef, as well as, beef tongues, hearts, kidneys, tripe, and lips are blocked. These products have a higher risk of carrying mad cow disease than boneless cuts of beef.
No nation in the world, except Barbados, has completely resumed imports of Canadian beef. Nonetheless, USDA has been working on a rule to allow resumption of beef and cattle imports despite the presence of mad cow disease in Canada. The rule is expected to be completed this summer.
The agreement reached between R-CALF USA and USDA minimizes trade impacts with non-BSE countries. Beef products originating in a BSE-free region or from the United States that are processed in Canada to be exported to the United States are permitted.
