Montana Cattle Import Injunction Reversed

WASHINGTON - Jul 14/05 - SNS -- A federal appeals court in Seattle has over-turned the injunction which prevented the USDA from allowing imports of live cattle from Canada to resume.

The USDA has not stated when imports would be allowed to resume, but industry participants expect the wait for imports to resume to be short.

The decision was granted in response to a USDA and meat industry challenge of the preliminary injunction granted March 2 by Montana U.S. District Court Judge Richard Cebull, which prevented the USDA from implementing its final rule allowing imports of Canadian live cattle under 30 months of age.

"This is wonderful news that has been long awaited," says Stan Eby, President of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association. "The Court has taken a huge step toward re-establishing normal trade in live cattle and beef products and has recognized the science-based and proper regulatory approach taken by the United States Department of Agriculture. I hope that all the necessary paperwork will soon be in place so that we may see the first shipments of cattle crossing the border in short order.

"This is good news not just for Canadian cattle producers, but for those sectors of the U.S. beef industry that have been economically devastated by the disruption in trade."

The hearing into a permanent injunction will still go ahead on July 27 in U.S. District Court, Montana Division.