August 25, 2006

Canada's mad cow case would not affect US imports

Canada's beef or cattle exports to the US would not be affected despite the country's confirmation Wednesday (Aug 23) of its eighth case of mad cow disease, the USDA said.

The USDA is not expecting any changes in the status of beef imports from Canada based on current information, USDA Secretary Mike Johanns said in a statement. 

Johanns also added that he is confident Canadian measures to prevent the disease are adequate.

However, the USDA did postpone a new federal rule that would expand the amount of beef and cattle US importers can buy from Canada after the country reported its seventh case of mad cow disease just a month ago.

The seventh case was in a cow born years after Canada implemented a feed ban which was supposed to have stopped the spread of the disease. The latest case, however, was in a cow born before the ban, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

USDA's Johanns said the US officials still hopes to expand the cattle trade with Canada.