News release

MITCHELL PLEASED WITH PROGRESS ON USDA RULE

Ottawa, December 30, 2004 - The United States Office of the Management and Budget (OMB) has completed its review of the proposed rule on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and returned it to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for publication in the Federal Register.

This development represents major progress towards normalizing trade between our two countries and brings closer an end to the hardship faced by the livestock industry since the detection of BSE in Canada in May 2003. The USDA said Wednesday that the final rule will be published in the January 4 Federal Register and will take effect March 7, 2005.

When implemented, the rule will provide access to the U.S. for a range of live animals and beef and ruminant products. In particular, the rule will once again allow for the importation into the U.S. of live cattle under 30 months for immediate slaughter or for feeding, provided they are slaughtered before reaching the age of 30 months. The rule also allows for the importation of meat from animals older than 30 months and removes segregation requirements at Canadian slaughter facilities.

In the next few weeks, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will work with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, to develop export certificates that address U.S. import requirements. Over the next several days, the CFIA will be reviewing the implications of the extensive document with respect to Canadian interests.

"The progress we have made in recent months is testimony to the ongoing efforts of the Canadian livestock industry and the federal, provincial and territorial governments, who have worked very hard with their American counterparts to move this issue forward," said Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Andy Mitchell. "Those efforts were recognized in the USDA statement acknowledging that Canada meets the requirements for a minimal-risk region."

The USDA said the minimal-risk standards that Canada has met include, among others:

Prohibition of specified risk materials in human food.
Import restrictions sufficient to minimize exposure to BSE: Since 1990, Canada has maintained stringent import restrictions, preventing the entry of live ruminants and ruminant products, including rendered protein products, from countries that have found BSE in native cattle or that are considered to be at significant risk for BSE.
Surveillance for BSE at levels that meet or exceed international guidelines: Canada has conducted active surveillance for BSE since 1992 and exceeded the level recommended in international guidelines for at least the past seven years.
Ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban in place and effectively enforced: Canada has had a ban on the feeding of ruminant proteins to ruminants since August 1997, with compliance monitored through routine inspections.
Appropriate epidemiological investigations, risk assessment, and risk mitigation measures imposed as necessary: Canada has conducted extensive investigations in response to any BSE finding and has taken additional risk mitigation measures in response.

Mr. Mitchell noted that this is an acknowledgment that Canada's food safety and inspection system is working well.

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For information:

Elizabeth Whiting
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
(613) 759-1059

Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
(613) 759-7972

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