AP reports, “Border Not Reopening to Canadian Cows Yet:”

A federal judge Wednesday blocked the reopening of the U.S. border to cattle and expanded beef imports from Canada because of mad-cow fears.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture had planned to reopen the border on Monday. But after a U.S. livestock group objected, U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull granted a temporary order preventing the action.

R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America, based in Billings, had argued that the USDA plan would pose a risk to both consumers and U.S. cattle producers. The organization asked the judge to block the reopening until its lawsuit is heard.

The group’s attorney, Cliff Edwards, told the judge that it would be “insane” to allow the import of cattle from a country that has already reported two new cases of mad cow disease this year.