041173 USDA Moves to Import Canada Cattle

Washington, DC - Canada would be allowed to resume exports of live cattle and additional types of beef to the United States under a regulation approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture the agency said.

But the proposal still must be reviewed by the Bush administration's budget office, which signs off on all major regulatory changes, as well as members of Congress.

Those reviews could take up to 90 days, said USDA spokeswoman Alisa Harrison. She was not sure whether the new trade rule would take effect immediately after being approved.

Federal regulations sometimes take effect at a specified date, such as two months after the measure has gained final approval.

USDA banned all imports of Canadian cattle and beef in May, 2003, after Canada said it had one confirmed case of mad cow disease. In August, 2003, USDA eased the beef import ban to allow some types of beef from Canadian animals 30-months of age and younger.

Before the trade problems, the United States was a major market for Canadian cattlemen and meatpackers.

In 2002, Canada exported 1.7 million head of cattle to the United States, valued at C$1.8 billion, according to Canadian government statistics. Nearly all of Canada's cattle exports went to the United States.

In 2002, Canada exported 409,909 metric tons of beef, veal and edible offal to the United States, representing most of its global exports. Value of that beef was C$1.8 billion.

USDA's approval of the cattle and beef trade rules comes as the agency is conducting final tests on a possible new case of mad cow disease in the United States.

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