USDA rulemaking expands cattle trade with Canada

USDA rulemaking expands cattle trade with Canada The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said Friday it will soon publish a rule to expand the list of allowable imports from countries recognized as presenting a minimal risk of introducing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or “mad cow” disease, into the United States.
   Bruce Knight, USDA’s undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, said the rulemaking is “consistent with our commitment to promote fair trade practices and further normalizes trade with countries that institute the appropriate safeguards to prevent the spread of BSE.”
   Currently, Canada is the only minimal-risk country designated by the United States.
   The newest USDA rule makes final a proposed rule published in the Jan. 9 Federal Register. It also builds on and expands a rule published in January 2005 by the USDA to allow the import of certain live cattle under 30 months of age for slaughter from countries recognized as a minimal BSE risk.
   The new rule allows Canada to export to the United States live cattle and bison for any use, including breeding, born on or after March 1, 1999. The USDA determined that this date in line with the enforcement date of Canada’s animal byproduct feed ban.