031103 U.S. Imports of Canadian Beef Near Pre-Ban Pace

U.S. imports of Canadian beef are now back up near the levels that had been coming across the border prior to the May 20 ban of cattle and beef.

The U.S. implemented the ban after a single case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy was discovered in Canada. After extensive traceback efforts and tests of additional cattle failed to turn up any more cases of the disease, the U.S. agreed to a partial lifting of the beef ban in August.

Canadian boneless beef began moving across the border in September. Due to a lag time in reporting meat imports, the USDA's latest import data only provide information as of the end of August.

However, an official with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said shipments of boneless beef from the time of the partial lifting of the ban through the week-ended Oct. 31 were at 101.407 million pounds, which converts to about 46,000 metric tons. Since shipments did not begin moving across the border until about Sept. 10, this represents about eight weeks of export data.

The monthly averages for beef and beef variety meat imports from Canada for January through May were 29,853 tons for beef and about 1,548 tons for beef variety meats.

The USDA's import data as of Aug. 31 showed shipments of Canadian beef at 149,324 tons, compared with 263,290 tons for the same period in 2002.

The U.S. ban on imports of live cattle remains in place, but the USDA last week released proposed procedures that should allow Canadian slaughter cattle under 30 months of age along with feeder cattle to begin entering the U.S. by possibly March or April of 2004, industry sources said.

Source: OsterDowJones Commodity News

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