U.S. to accept some Canada meats

WASHINGTON – Restrictions on imports of Canadian game animals and certain boneless meat products will be lifted by the end of the month, the Bush administration said Friday, easing trade barriers imposed because of Canada’s lone case of mad cow disease.

“All have been deemed as low-risk by our scientific experts.” Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said.

“I cannot stress strongly enough that the continued protection of the U.S. food supply is our top priority. The risk to public health is extremely low.”

The decision to begin accepting import permit applications for certain products from Canada affects about 40 percent of the annual $1.1 billion in Canadian beef products normally exported to the United States.

Those imports along with another $1.1 billion in live cattle exports were halted in May when one case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, was found in Canada, according to Agriculture Department officials.

The United States is the market for about 70 percent of Canada’s cattle exports, but Veneman said the ban on live cattle would remain in place for the time being.

Trade bans by the United States and other nations have crippled the Canadian industry since the single mad cow case was announced May 20, with losses estimated at more than $1 million.