010550 USA to Ease Ban on European Meat

Washington - The Bush administration is preparing to ease the ban on European meat and livestock imports that was imposed two months ago to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.

The restrictions would be lifted first for countries that have been free of the disease.

“I believe we will have the risk analysis done sometime within the next couple of weeks, but I can't give you a date certain, and that there will be some regional lifting of the ban,” Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said Friday.

Denmark, which has been free of the disease, was the ban's major victim because the United States is one of the largest markets for its pork industry.

The ban, which applies to both raw meat and livestock, was imposed on Britain in February and then extended to the rest of the 15-member European Union in mid-March after an outbreak in France. There were additional small outbreaks in Ireland and the Netherlands.

The British outbreak is “leveling off” and “we haven't seen any new cases in the rest of Europe for several weeks, certainly past the incubation period,” Veneman said. “It's fair to say that in Europe the issue has certainly improved substantially.”

No new cases of the disease were reported in Britain Thursday for the first time since the disease was first confirmed there. At the epidemic's height as many as 40 new cases were confirmed daily.

The United States has been free of the disease since 1929.

Chuck Lambert, chief economist of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, said that easing the ban “was the responsible thing to do” if USDA's scientists are convinced there is little risk from resuming imports.

Foot-and-mouth disease is generally harmless to humans but has devastated livestock in Britain because herds must be destroyed to prevent its spread. The disease is easily transmitted by wind, people and vehicles, and can spread by contaminated hay, water and manure.

The United States typically imports about $300 million worth of meat from the European Union, two- thirds of that Danish pork. The Danish shipments include raw pork ribs, which are popular in restaurants, and processed hams, which weren't affected by the ban.

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