Costa Rica Allows U.S.
Cattle Imports
Costa Rica will now
allow imports of U,.S.
cattle of all ages born
after implementation of
the United States' 1997
ruminant-to-ruminant
feed ban.
The U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s Animal and
Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) and
Foreign Agricultural
Service (FAS) today
announced that
consistent with
international
standards..
“This decision further
affirms that the
United States’
science-based mitigation
measures for BSE
effectively protect
animal health and food
safety,” said APHIS
Acting Administrator
Cindy Smith. “We are
pleased that
Costa Rica
is following
international standards
that support market
access for
U.S.
cattle and we will
continue to urge our
other trading partners
to do the same.”
In May 2007, the World
Organization for Animal
Health (OIE) formally
classified the United
States as a controlled
risk country for bovine
spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE).
This status confirms
that U.S. BSE regulatory
controls are effective
and that U.S. cattle of
all ages can be safely
traded.
Costa Rica stopped
allowing the importation
of U.S. cattle after BSE
was detected in an
imported Canadian cow in
Washington state in
December 2003.
APHIS has worked closely
with Costa Rica since
that time to allow for
market access.
APHIS and FAS will
continue to ensure that
countries take steps to
align their requirements
with international
standards. |
