March 30, 2005

Canadian beef ban may soon be lifted by Japan
 

The decision to remove mandatory testing for cattle younger than 30 months could pave the way for Canadian beef exports into Japan.

According to Japan's food safety commission, consumers' health would not be at risk even if the tests were removed.

Japan tests every animal for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease. Meanwhile, Canada has argued that younger cattle can't develop the disease and need not be tested.

Japan closed its border to Canadian beef in May 2003, when the first case of BSE in a Canadian-born animal was confirmed.

Ted Haney, head of the Canada Beef Export Federation, has said that the food safety commission's ruling would help Canada clear a major hurdle to resuming trade with Japan, although exports were not expected to commence before the fall.

He added that it would probably need two or three months for the ruling to be implemented. 

Canadian producers would have to be able to verify the age of the slaughtered animal before they were processed.

Canada sold almost $100 million worth of beef to Japan in 2002.