US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns has announced that the Philippines is to resume imports of US beef and beef products.

"I am very pleased with the reopening of the Philippines market to US beef and beef products, which demonstrates their commitment to trade based on internationally accepted scientific standards for human and animal health," said Johanns. "…This is another step forward in our efforts to reopen global markets for US beef."

Under the agreement, the United States will now be able to export boneless beef from cattle not older than 30 months to the Philippines. The estimated value of the Philippines market reopening to US boneless beef is $2.5 million.

In 2003, the United States exported $4.9 million worth of beef and beef products to the Philippines.

After the first BSE-infected cow was discovered in the United States in December 2003, the Philippines adopted measures to restrict imports of certain types of US beef, while allowing imports of US boneless beef from cattle not older than 30 months in January 2004. In June 2005, the Philippines imposed a temporary ban on beef and beef products from the United States following confirmation that a second US cow had tested positive for BSE.