Fed: Australia bans US beef products becauseof mad cow disease

AAP General News (Australia)
12-24-2003
Fed: Australia bans US beef products becauseof mad cow disease

Australia has imposed a temporary ban on American beef products because of a suspected
mad cow disease outbreak in the US.

Agriculture Minister WARREN TRUSS says the federal government has decided to temporarily
hold at customs beef products imported from the US while it gets more information.

The action follows the US reporting its first suspected case of mad cow disease, in
a single cow in the state of Washington.

However the ban will have little practical effect.

Mr TRUSS says Australia has imported small quantities of fresh beef from the US in
the past for specialist restaurants, but no recent imports have taken place because the
businesses are no longer operating.

AAP RTV dw/rca

KEYWORD: BEEF US (CANBERRA)

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