A case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly referred to as mad.cow disease, was discovered in US Washington state on December 23, 2003. The outbreak led to bans on imports of U.S. beef in a number of important markets, including Japan a...
A case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly referred to as mad.cow disease, was discovered in US Washington state on December 23, 2003. The outbreak led to bans on imports of U.S. beef in a number of important markets, including Japan and South Korea. U.S. beef exports, therefore, declined significantly in 2004. This study examines exports and other demand.supply factors on U.S. meat prices to analyze the BSE effects. Results indicate that if all other factors remain the same, the drop in beef exports results in a 22 cent per pound reduction in retail beef prices. Prices in 2004 remained relative high, however, possibly due to a decline in U.S. production and strong domestic demand.