[JURIST] US District Judge Richard Cebull ordered a temporary halt Wednesday to Bush administration plans to allow the resumption of imports of Canadian cattle next week. Judge Cebull granted a preliminary injunction preventing a USDA regulation allowing Canadian cattle imports to resume [PDF text] from taking effect as scheduled Monday. R-CALF USA [advocacy website], an organization representing US cattle producers, has filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the regulation from taking effect. R-CALF USA has case materials. Reuters has more.

5:05 PM ET – Canada's Minister of International Trade Jim Peterson [official profile] said Wednesday that Canada is considering a legal challenge to the US ban on Canadian export of young cattle. In an interview with Canadian television, Peterson said "We're looking at every alternative right now, including the legal route, and I can assure you we're going to be standing by our cattle producers." Also responding to the temporary injunction Wednesday is the Canadian Cattlemen's Association [trade association website], which said it remains convinced of the merits of the USDA rule [CCA press release] to re-open the border. Reuters has more.