WHEREAS, the government of Canada instituted measures to contain the outbreak of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) or Mad Cow Disease and ensure food safety in Canada;

WHEREAS, based on the evaluation of the Philippine Department of Agriculture, the risk of contamination from importing meat and meat products derived from cattle from Canada is negligible;

WHEREAS, the USA, Mexico, several Caribbean countries Cuba, Honduras, Lebanon, Hongkong and Macau have resumed partial and full trade in beef from Canada;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARTHUR C. YAP, Secretary of Agriculture, by the powers vested in me by law, do hereby lift the temporary ban on the importation of meat and meat products derived from cattle from Canada thereby allowing the importation of the above named products subject to the following measures:

1. Only deboned and deglanded beef from cattle not older than thirty (30) months, devoid of any nerves and other BSE specified risk materials (SRM) shall be imported;

2. The beef should come only from healthy ambulatory and not downer cattle.

3. The age of the slaughter cattle shall be certified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) or a third party certification company to be accredited by the Philippine Department of Agriculture to be not older than thirty (30) months;

4. The production or slaughter date of the beef shall be included in the packaging label.

5. All shipments into the country of beef originating from Canada not complying with these conditions shall be confiscated by all DA Quarantine Inspectors/Officers at all major sea/air ports.

This Order shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 28 April 2005

(SGD.) ARTHUR C. YAP
Secretary