US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns is to face questions at a Senate hearing today [Thursday] on whether a plan to reopen the border to Canadian cattle will expose the US beef industry to further cases of BSE, or mad cow disease.
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The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) banned imports of Canadian cattle in May 2003 after a single case of BSE, but plans to allow imports of younger cattle from 7 March, reported Reuters. Canada reported two further cases of mad cow disease in January, while the first US BSE case was reported in December 2003.
While the US has been pressuring other nations to resume imports of US beef and cattle, it has not yet lifted its ban on Canadian imports.
Saxby Chambliss, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said Johanns will have to explain why trade can be resumed safely.
“We need to trade with Canada but it has to be on the right basis,” the Georgia Republican was quoted by Reuters as saying. “We can’t afford to trade with somebody who is going to continue to have BSE cases.”
