[JURIST] Canadian Press is reporting that US officials on Monday started the final review of draft rules that would drop the existing trade barrier against Canadian beef products. The US banned the import of all Canadian cattle and beef after an Alberta cow tested positive for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease, in May 2003. The US has lessened the ban slightly since then, allowing the import of boneless beef cuts from cattle under 30 months old that are believed to be at lower risk of carrying BSE. Once the draft rules are finalized, they will be published by the USDA and begin a process that often takes months before implementation. It is unknown if the process will stall if the current potential case of BSE in the US becomes confirmed.