MOSCOW - Russia has imposed ban on beef import from the United States, effective from Dec. 24 in connection with the “mad cow disease” recently discovered in that country, a top government official said.

Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev said the State Veterinary Service has been ordered to stop import of all beef products from the United States, according to Izvestia. He added that the blanket ban on all beef products would be in place till the situation with “mad cow” illness, which has been registered in the United States, is cleared. “We are in contact with the U.S. Veterinary Service. A new decision will be made after we are sure of the safety of these products for our consumers,” he added.

Gordeyev said such policy is a traditional practice in case of an outbreak of food-related diseases. As an example, he cited a similar case involving Canadian products, which took 2-2,5 months to be resolved.