July 15, 2005

US lifts ban on Canadian beef imports

The US ban on Canadian beef import has been lifted, after a federal court overturned on Jul 14 a lower court's ruling that resuming imports could spread BSE in the country.

In response to this piece of news, the USDA said it would reopen the border within days to Canadian cattle, which had been banned since May 2003 after a cow was diagnosed with BSE in Alberta, Canada.

The US government is also already working with Canadian food inspectors to certify cattle for shipment, said US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns.

The three-judge panel decision overturns a March ruling that had blocked the USDA from reopening the Canadian border. Another ruling would be issued soon to explain the justices' rationale.

The unanimous decision came only a day after the US government urged the appeals court to reopen the border to Canadian beef imports.

The ban has been estimated to cause the loss of more than 8,000 jobs in the US meat-packing industry, while losses sustained by Canadian beef producers were estimated to be at more than US$5.6 billion.