December 8, 2004

USDA Says Jamaica Lifts Ban On US Beef

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday that Jamaica has lifted the ban it placed on U.S. beef in reaction to the discovery of a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the U.S. in December 2003.

The U.S. exported $4.3 million worth of beef to Jamaica in 2003 before the ban was enacted, USDA spokesman Harold Kanarek said.

USDA Secretary Ann Veneman said in a prepared statement: "We are very pleased with this agreement with Jamaica because it marks an important step forward in getting U.S. beef markets opened. We are continuing our market- opening efforts in other countries. Our goal continues to be the resumption of normal beef trade throughout the world, and we are working tirelessly on that effort."

USDA has been successful in restarting beef trade with several foreign markets such as Mexico and Canada, but has yet to conclude deals with any major importing countries in Asia.

Preliminary deals to resume beef trade with Japan and Taiwan were reached by U.S. negotiators in October, but those have not yet been finalized.