A federal appeals court has overturned the ban on imports of Canadian cattle, throwing out a lower court’s ruling that renewing the imports could spread mad cow disease in the United States. The imports were banned in May 2003 after a cow in Alberta, Canada was found to have mad cow disease. The unanimous decision overturns a Montana judge who blocked the USDA from reopening the border in March, saying it “subjects the entire U.S. beef industry to potentially catastrophic damages” and “presents a genuine risk of death for U.S. consumers.” The decision came a day after the U.S. Justice Department urged the appeals court in Seattle to reopen the border to imports. Justice Department attorney Mark Stern said lifting the ban was based on “good science” and would not result in the “infestation in American livestock.” But John Stauber, author of MadCow USA issued a statement saying “This court decision will not change the fact that neither Canada nor the USA have taken the steps necessary to stop the spread of mad cow disease.” He said “Until Canada and the USA follow the lead of other nations and put in place a real firewall feed ban, with safety testing of cattle before consumption, mad cow will continue to amplify and spread invisibly across North America.”