New U.S. cattle rules, could help Cdn farmers
CANADA - Canadian cattle producers said Friday that the latest U.S. moves aimed at lowering barriers to cattle imports couldmean an annual economic boost of up to $450 million - but it isn't likely to start for a few months.New rules proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that would allow exports of older live Canadian cattle to resume will enter a 60-day period for public comment on Tuesday.
On March 12, the USDA will review the comments, make any final amendments and pass the rules on for approval, after which a date will be set for them to take effect.
That could mean that live cattle born after March 1999 will be allowed in the United States for the first time since May 2003, when an Alberta cow was diagnosed with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease.
"Addressing these final issues will impact between $400 and $450 million annually," said Laycraft.
Source: Canadian Press