A federal judge in Montana has granted a temporary injunction against USDA that will keep the Canadian border closed to live cattle for the foreseeable future. The decision, according to R-CALF USA spokeswoman Shae Dodson, will result in either an appeal by USDA to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals or a trial on the issue of the safety of Canadian cattle that she estimates would take place between mid-summer and early autumn of this year.

In his decision, U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull ordered the two sides to produce a mutually agreeable timetable for a trial, and gave them 10 days to produce it. Dodson said R-CALF's lawyers will probably meet tomorrow with USDA lawyers.

R-CALF went to court this morning demanding that the reopening of the border be delayed until the court could hear the full argument about the scientific basis for allowing Canadian cattle into the U.S. The rancher's group contends that sloppy science is involved in the decision, that the reopening is premature, and that irrevocable harm could result if the border is reopened under the current plan.

The American Meat Institute's chief executive, J. Patrick Boyle, who favors the reopening, said AMI is "very disappointed with Judge Cebull's decision today because we believe that Canadian beef is as safe and wholesome as beef produced in this country. The prolonged border closure with Canada is not only causing long-term structural damage to the meat industry in the U.S., but it has hurt many hardworking American families who earn their living processing Canadian cattle and beef products."

AMI is awaiting a decision on its lawsuit demanding that the border be opened to all beef products, regardless of the age of the cattle involved. As written, USDA's rule would limit imports to live animals and boxed beef from cattle under 30 months of age.