P.M. BRIEFING : France Bans All British Beef Because of ‘Mad Cow’ Disease
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PARIS — France today announced a ban on all imports of British beef to protect against an outbreak of “mad cow” disease that has killed thousands of British cattle.
Agriculture Minister Henri Nallet said the ban, to take effect Thursday, will be lifted as soon as Paris is convinced that the British virus poses no danger to French citizens. Austria imposed a similar ban Tuesday.
Nallet said no incidence of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) virus, which destroys cows’ brains, had been found in France.
The disease has killed about 13,000 British cows since May, 1986, according to official figures. The animals had been given fodder containing sheep offal.
European Community countries have already banned imports of British live cattle more than six months old.
The British government says there is no evidence that BSE can affect humans and has consistently denied that it is dangerous to eat British beef.
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