PANAMA CITY, Panama (AP)--Panama banned the importation of U.S. beef after the second case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy was discovered, officials said July 5.

The Agriculture Ministry said it notified U.S. officials of the ban July 5, and it took effect immediately.

In late June, U.S. officials announced the nation's first homegrown case of BSE, tracing it to a 12-year-old Texas-born cow.

Panama banned U.S. beef after the first case of BSE was detected in the United States, but lifted the ban in October, allowing the importation of products originating from animals no more than 30 months old.

Although Panama raises most of its own beef, it does import some, and the United States is one of the main suppliers.

Date: 7/21/05