Canada’s Prime Minister Paul Martin, and US President George Bush spoke of lifting the ban on Canadian cattle exports to the USA, with Mr Bush promising personal involvement to settle the thorny issue whilst attending the conclusion of APEC meetings in Santiago, Chile, on November 20.
George Bush had promised to act swiftly to refer a new trade rule to the Office of Management and Budget, which would in theory open the border to Canadian cattle. The US budget office would then review the administration’s request and spend up to 90 days deciding whether to give it the go-ahead.
Mr Martin calls this pledge a significant step. Stan Eby, president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, said yesterday he thinks the US will “definitely” be taking live Canadian cattle next year, though he said more challenges could emerge.
Canadian producers have, however, been bracing themselves for the worst again due to the recent report of another possible case of mad-cow disease in the USA.
Since May 20, 2003, imports of Canadian beef have been banned, after a single case of BSE was discovered in Canada. In August 2003 the ban was lifted on boneless beef from cattle under 30 months, with the ban on beef from older cattle still active. The national cost of the 18-month border closure to the Canadian beef industry has been set at $4 billion.
