WASHINGTON, May 20: The United States announced on Tuesday a ban on Canadian beef imports pending further investigation into the first case of mad cow disease in Canada.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) took the step as Canada revealed that a case of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), had been found in the western province of Alberta.

“USDA is placing Canada under its BSE restriction guidelines and will not accept any ruminants or ruminant products from Canada pending further investigation,” US Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said.

“We are dispatching a technical team to Canada to assist in the investigation and will provide more detailed information as it becomes available,” she said in a written statement. —AFP