Bush administration makes re-start of U.S. beef exports “top priority”

Bush administration makes re-start of U.S. beef exports “top priority”

Bush administration makes re-start of U.S. beef exports “top priority”

   The Bush administration told lawmakers on Capitol Hill Jan. 21 that re-starting U.S. beef exports is a “top priority.”
   U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman told the House Agriculture Committee that her agency is heading an effort to ensure that future responses to cattle infected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or “mad cow” disease, is “science-based.”
   Veneman explained to lawmakers how the United States shut its borders to Canadian beef in May 2003 when a cow infected with mad cow disease was discovered.
   “However, after conducting a complete and thorough investigation of the incident, and evaluating the additional safeguards that Canada made to its already strong system, we allowed trade in low-risk products to resume in late August,” Veneman testified.
   She added: “The U.S. decision was consistent with international scientific standards that allow for trade to resume when a country has taken necessary actions to prevent the spread of BSE.”
   The Department of Agriculture recently joined with its counterparts in Canada and Mexico to develop a North American consultative process for any future mad cow disease outbreaks.
   Department of Agriculture officials also traveled to Japan this week to encourage the Asian country to resume imports of U.S. beef.