October 21, 2003

US May Open its Market to Canadian Cattle By Early December

The U.S. may open its market to Canadian cattle under 30 months of age by early December after banning the animals because of the discovery of a case of mad cow disease in May, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) said.

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget is expected to issue a ruling by the end of the week that would open the way to withdraw ban on live cattle exports from Canada, the state-owned broadcaster said. The network didn't say where it got the information.

U.S. health officials at the Centers for Disease Control, which monitors threats to the American beef herd, are satisfied with the scientific evidence indicating there's no further or immediate threat, CBC said in a report on its Web site.

Julie Quick, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said she wasn't aware of the CBC report. No news of forthcoming lifting of the ban was known as U.S. hasn't completed drafting rules to allow the banned cattle back into the U.S., Quick said in an interview.