The United States has lifted a ban on beef from Ireland that
it imposed in 1998 following the discovery that many old cattle in the British
Isles were suffering from Bovine Spongiform Encephalothy (BSE or mad cow's disease).
The Food Safety and Inspection Service, part of the United
States Department of Agriculture, sent inspectors to Ireland to check beef
plants and precautions related to BSE.
After their inspections from June 31 to July 7,
they wrote that "Ireland has consistently and effectively implemented a
beef slaughter inspection system that satisfies all criteria for equivalence
with the United States system."
This U.S. decision clears the way for the Irish
authorities to approve individual beef plants to export to the U.S.
This, of course, would have nothing to do with free trade negotiations between the United States and the European Union.
When Canada was negotiating for free trade with
Europe last year, Irish beef farmers were vehemently opposed to increased competition
from Canadian beef.
There was no mention in the Canadian government news releases about opening the Canadian market to beef from Ireland. Of course, it's probably part of that deal.
