A deal has been reached for Canadian beef to have full access to the Mexican market.
Mexico closed it's market to Canadian beef in 2003 because of BSE.
It re-opened the market to beef from cattle under 30 months of age later that year.
However, the deal announced in Ottawa this week means fully restored access for all Canadian beef and beef products, regardless of the age of the cattle.
Canadian Cattlemen's Association President Dan Darling says the timing of this deal - which goes into effect October 1st - is important for this country's producers.
Darling points out October and November are traditionally when Canadian beef farmers send most of their mature breeding cows to market.
Prior to BSE, Canada was exporting between 270 and 290 million dollars worth of beef a year to Mexico.
20-25 per cent of that was over thirty months.
Mexico has been Canada's third largest beef export market the past three years - even without the over thirty month old product.
