US to restart imports of Canadian cattle

More than 19 months after a mad cow scare closed US borders to Canadian cattle, the United States said it would allow imports beginning in March.

The new policy will permit imports of cattle younger than 30 months and certain other animals and products from Canada, which the Agriculture Department said had effective measures to prevent and detect bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease.

The department said the ruling, which will take effect on March 7, came after determining Canada was a “minimal-risk region”, the first country recognised as such.