US bans Canadian beef
The United States banned Canadian beef imports pending further investigation into the first case of mad-cow disease in Canada.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) took the step as Canada revealed a case of mad-cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), had been found in the western province of Alberta.
Last year, 90 percent of Canada's 575,000 tonnes of beef exports went to the United States, according to Canadian statistics.
Last year, the United States imported 389,183 tonnes of Canadian beef, and 1.687 million head of Canadian cattle, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
In 2001, the United States consumed a total of 18 billion pounds (8 billion kilograms) of boneless beef, a USDA official said.
Agence France Presse Mai 21, 2003
