July 11, 2005

New Zealand lifts ban on Canadian beef
 

New Zealand's government recently announced that the country would immediately lift all mad cow-related restrictions on Canadian beef. This followed acknowledgements by food safety authorities that Canadian beef was safe from mad cow disease, or BSE.

New Zealand would remove its existing case-by-case assessment and arrange for immediate certification for Canadian beef products.

Canadian cattle producers have welcomed the news as signifying renewed confidence in Canada's ability to properly manage BSE risks.

There were also Canadian hopes that New Zealand's latest decision would help influence the US to reopen its borders to Canadian beef.