December 30, 2003

Bulgaria Bans US Beef Imports

Bulgaria joined the growing contingent of countries banning U.S. beef imports following the first reported case of mad cow disease in the United States.

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Mehmed Dikme signed a decree banning all imports of U.S. beef and beef products.

The move came after several nations halted U.S. beef imports following the U.S. Agriculture Department's announcement last week that a cow at a farm near Yakima, Washington, had tested positive for the brain-wasting disease.

Other countries that have temporarily imposed bans on U.S. beef include China, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Ukraine, Russia, South Africa, Jamaica, Chile, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Mexico.