Taiwan opens doors to more Canadian beef 20 years after mad cow disease

Canada says it has regained market access to Taiwan for Canadian beef and beef products from animals over 30 months of age.

Taiwan imposed import restrictions on beef from animals both over and under 30 months in 2003 after the discovery of Canada's first case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

The government says Taiwan lifted restrictions for under-30-month beef in 2016.

In a press release Friday (June 16), the federal government says the regained access will be an opportunity to expand Canadian beef exports to Taiwan and diversify export markets in the Indo-Pacific Region.

Agriculture and Agri-Food minister Marie-Claude Bibeau says in the press release that expanding trade partnerships in that region is a top priority for the federal government.

Earlier this year, Japan lifted the last of its restrictions against Canadian beef.