Casting cows before swine

The U.S. banned cattle and beef imports from Canada on May 20, 2003, after a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or a mad-cow disease, was discovered in Alberta. Canada has cut back on cattle production since the import ban was imposed, while it increased its beef-processing capacity, so its plants are able to handle a larger portion of the animals produced there and the beef prices became very cheap because most production had to be absorbed domestically.