Brasília, 1/30/2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The new rules by the US Department of Agriculture in response to the problem of mad cow disease are not expected to affect Brazilian beef exports to that country, says the Ministry of Agriculture. According to the ministry, Brazil has been complying with US animal inspection regulations.

Brazil does not export beef in natura to the US. It exports only frozen, cooked, canned and jerked beef, as well as beef extract. Those products, according to Marcio Rezende Evaristo at the mininstry, do not contain anything prohibited by the new regulations. (AB)