July 15, 2004

U.S. Welcomes Japan's Move To Give Up Young Cattle BSE Test

The United States on Wednesday welcomed Japan's reported move to abandon testing of young cattle for mad cow disease, saying it is an "encouraging" step toward Tokyo's resumption of U.S. beef imports.

"We ought to be targeting animals over 30 months of age, we ought to be targeting animals that are showing CNS (central nervous system) signs or other clinical evidence of the disease," Ron DeHaven, head of the department's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, told reporters.