CFIA says more countries restrict Canadian beef imports due to BSE

EDMONTON – More countries are restricting Canadian beef over concerns about mad cow disease.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency website says Peru, Belarus and Taiwan have imposed temporary restrictions on beef imports.

Earlier this month, South Korea temporarily suspended imports after a beef breeding cow was discovered near Edmonton with bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

Indonesia has imposed temporary import restrictions on some non-edible meat products.

The food safety agency says it is investigating the BSE cow's feed source and whether any other cattle have the disease.

A case of BSE in 2003 at an Alberta farm devastated Canada's beef industry as 40 countries closed their borders to Canadian cattle and beef products, although most of those markets have since reopened.