The disease created great losses in the beef sector. Ottawa—Canada achieved negligible risk status for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) May 27 and Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau says that should be a real marketing advantage for the export-dependent beef and cattle sector. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) announced the status change almost 18 years from the day then agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief announced the disease had been found in an Alberta cow. The news brought Canadian cattle and beef exports to an immediate halt. Bibeau said that while many countries have already allowed Canadian beef imports to resume, the OIE announcement could help exports to the countries still maintaining barriers. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency “will continue to work with the cattle and beef sectors, provinces and territories to maintain the negligible risk status through continued efforts in preventing and controlling the spread of domestic and foreign animal diseases,” Bibeau said. Bob Lowe, President of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association (CCA), said “We thank everyone involved in helping us attain this status including the  government, veterinarians across Canada and Canadian farmers and ranchers. We also thank Canadian consumers who supported Canada's beef industry during the hardest times of BSE when Canadian beef couldn't be exported.” Chris White, President, Canadian Meat Council, thanked Agriculture Canada, CFIA and Global Affairs “for the hard work leading up to this announcement. This was truly a collaborative effort of industry and government.” Last year, Canada exported 425,109 tonnes of beef to 53 countries, valued at $3.3 billion. Lowe said the change in risk status “will help facilitate expanded access to foreign markets for various beef products currently limited by BSE era restrictions. The control of BSE across the globe is a remarkable achievement or the membership of the OIE.” “Although difficult to fully quantify the direct economic impacts of BSE, between just 2003 and 2006, losses were estimated to be between $4.9 to $5.5 billion. Following the economic hardship from BSE, 26,000 beef producers exited the industry between 2006 and 2011. Along with their exit from the industry, more than 2.22 million acres of pasture lands, and since that time further losses, were converted to other uses marking BSE as both a detrimental economic and environmental event for Canada with rippling impacts still being felt today.” Senator Rob Black said, “Across the country, the cattle industry has been working tirelessly to ensure that Canadians have access to safe, nutritious, and affordable products. This designation means that our beef producers can expand into foreign markets that were previously inaccessible. I would like to thank all those involved in ensuring this process came to fruition, including the government of Canada, the CCA and the many farmers, ranchers, and consumers who continued to support our beef industry throughout hard times.” Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.