A USDA official recently announced the agency’s intention to lift the 30-month age restriction on cattle and beef imports from Canada by mid-2006. No such rule has been published yet, but the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association can’t support lifting the age restriction until Canada becomes more accessible to U.S. cattle.  NCBA CEO Terry Stokes explains.

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Stokes says that Canadian restrictions related to anaplasmosis and bluetongue have made it difficult to export cattle into Canada. While progress has been made on feeder cattle, selling breeding stock into Canada is still difficult.

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Until more progress is made, NCBA can’t justify lifting the age restriction on Canadian imports.

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Stokes said the ability to sell cattle into Canada is important to the bottom line of many U.S. cattlemen, especially in Northern states.

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