| 12/30/2003 USDA to Rethink Opening Border to Canadian Cattle - 12/28 Reuters The USDA said it believed the infected Holstein cow was likely one of a herd of 74 dairy cows imported to Idaho from Alberta, Canada, in August 2001. In May this year, Canadian officials reported the discovery of a single case of mad cow disease in a black Angus cow in Alberta, but USDA said it was too early to speculate on whether the two cases were related. The Canadian outbreak prompted the USDA and other foreign countries to shut their borders to Canadian beef and cattle. The USDA, which has proposed resuming imports of Canadian cattle under 30 months of age, said it would take another look at its proposal in light of the discovery of mad cow disease in the border state. "New information from the investigation will be taken into consideration," said USDA spokeswoman Julie Quick, referring to the USDA proposal. Canadian officials have said they were hoping the United States would reopen its border early next year as Washington had intended to begin work on a final ruling next month. The U.S. beef industry, however, has asked the USDA not to reopen the border for Canadian cattle imports. "We are requesting an indefinite extension of the final comments regarding the opening of the Canadian border to live animal trade until the (U.S. mad cow) investigation is complete," said Terry Stokes, chief executive officer of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. The USDA said it has not imposed any additional restrictions on Canadian beef trade since this week's discovery of mad cow disease. The United States has allowed some "low-risk" beef imports derived from Canadian cattle younger than 30 months. Scientists believe young cattle are unlikely to contract mad cow disease. Canada's cattle industry has lost an estimated $2.5 billion since it found mad cow disease in May. The United States is hoping to avoid the same fate. |
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