USDA drops restrictions on pork from some European countries

By From CNN's Brad Wright

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday lifted import restrictions on pork products from several European countries.

The restrictions had been imposed in response to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Europe.

Bobby Acord, associate administrator for USDA, announced that pork from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain and Sweden will no longer be held up at U.S. ports of entry.

Pork imports from those countries had been put on hold even though no cases of foot-and-mouth disease have been confirmed there.

However, import restrictions remain in effect for European countries with confirmed cases of the disease, which affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle and sheep. Those countries are Britain, Ireland, France, The Netherlands and Greece.

The lifting of import restrictions for some European countries "in no way changes the vigilance at ports of entry" by inspectors, Acord said. Friday's action by the USDA mostly affects stockpiles of Danish pork that have been locked up at U.S. ports for weeks.

There is no end in sight to U.S. import restrictions for countries where the disease has been confirmed. USDA officials say those countries will be able to import agricultural products to the United States three months after the disease has been eradicated and confirmed in satisfactory site visits from USDA veterinarians.

Foot-and-mouth disease has not been found in the United States since 1929.