On Wednesday, Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau confirmed that South Korea is lifting the temporary suspension on Canada beef imports imposed last month after the discovery of an atypical BSE case in Alberta. 

"We were sure hoping it was going to be a short term ban, and expecting that," said Bob Lowe, president of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association. "If countries are going to talk about science-based trade then it would have to be a short-term ban. In our export certificates to Korea, there is a clause in there that basically says if we have a case of BSE, Korea will automatically close all imports from Canada. It doesn't specify classical BSE or atypical BSE. We're working with the government to try and get that wording changed and this is just proof of why it needs to be changed."

China and the Philippines also implemented temporary suspensions. Lowe says those are still in place.

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