Japan is lifting the final of its restrictions on Canadian beef, 20 years after BSE, typically known as mad cow illness, devastated that nation’s beef business.
The federal authorities says Japan is reopening its doorways to processed beef and beef patties from Canada.
The transfer ends market entry limitations Japan imposed in 2003 after a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow illness, was found in Alberta.
That discovery led to a worldwide shutdown of Canadian beef exports — a serious blow to an business that exports half of what it produces.
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Affiliation estimated the losses at greater than $5 billion over the following three years.
Whereas Japan was one of many nations that originally closed its border to all Canadian beef, it has lifted restrictions in phases over time, most lately with its 2019 choice to start accepting Canadian beef from cattle over 30 months outdated.
Learn extra:
World physique says Canadian beef formally poses ‘negligible threat’ of mad cow illness
The federal authorities says Japan is now Canada’s second-largest marketplace for beef, with exports price $518 million in 2022.
In complete, about 40 international locations closed their borders to Canadian beef through the peak of the 2003 BSE disaster, leading to billions in misplaced income.
An estimated 26,000 producers left the business solely between 2006 and 2011, and greater than 8,000 sq. kilometers of pasture was transformed to different makes use of in that interval, the cattle farmers affiliation mentioned.
Learn extra:
Alberta’s beef business reacts to import ban after atypical mad cow illness case
BSE is a deadly and untreatable losing illness of the mind and nervous techniques. It’s attributable to rogue proteins known as prions, which may be unfold via contaminated feed.
Individuals who eat contaminated beef can develop a deadly illness known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob illness. Fewer than 250 human circumstances have been reported worldwide.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
