Costa Rica allows U.S. cattle imports

Costa Rica allows U.S. cattle imports Costa Rica will allow the import of U.S. cattle of all ages born after implementation of the U.S. government’s 1997 ban of feed containing animal byproducts.
   Costa Rica banned imports of U.S. cattle after the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as “mad cow” disease, in an imported Canadian cow in Washington state in December 2003.
   In May 2007, the World Organization for Animal Health formally classified the United States as a controlled risk country for BSE. This status confirms that U.S. BSE regulatory controls are effective and that U.S. cattle of all ages can be safely traded.