Mad Cow Disease and U.S. Beef Trade. Updated January 29, 2008

摘要

The 110th Congress is expected to monitor closely U.S. efforts to regain foreign markets that banned U.S. beef when a cow in Washington state tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or mad cow disease) in December 2003.1 Rebuilding foreign confidence in the safety of U.S. beef and cattle has been impeded by two other confirmed U.S. cases of BSE, announced June 2005 and March 2006. The four major U.S. beef export markets, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Korea, are again accepting U.S. product. Resumption of beef trade with Japan and Korea has not gone smoothly. Japan is permitting imports of beef from animals 20 months old or younger. U.S. beef imports are currently prohibited by Korea pending negotiation of a new animal health protocol. U.S. officials are using a World Animal Health Organization classification of the United States as a controlled risk country for BSE as an argument for beef importing countries to reopen their export markets to U.S. beef. Legislation has been introduced in both chambers to disapprove a rule to permit imports of live cattle and products from Canada. In the 110th Congress, Koreas suspension of quarantine inspections of U.S. beef has become a key issue in congressional consideration of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.