Japan removes final BSE restrictions on Canadian beef

One of the last vestiges of the BSE disaster of the early 2000s in Canada will be ending now that the Japanese government has agreed to allow processed beef into the country for the first time in two decades.

“Our government will always stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our ranchers and processors who export the finest and most sustainable products around the world,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, minister of agriculture, in a statement.

“This is another big step in our trade relationship with Japan, a trusted partner in the Indo-Pacific.”

While restrictions had eased in recent years following an import ban that was announced in 2003 after BSE was found in Alberta, Monday’s announcement removes the last beef trade barrier.

It follows the 2019 decision by the Japanese to allow beef from cattle older than 30 months.

Since 2018, the value of Canadian beef exports to Japan has risen from $215 million to $518 million.

“Cattle producers are grateful for the removal of trade barriers for processed beef in Japan, our second-largest export market for beef,” said Nathan Phinney, president of the Canadian Cattle Association.

Canada was declared as having negligible risk of BSE by the World Organization for Animal Health in May 2021.

Tags: импорт, Canada, Beef, ban, Japan, restrictions, BSE