The Nebraska Farm Bureau is asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to follow a number of steps to caution against mad cow disease as it prepares to allow Canadian cattle imports into the United States.

The United States will allow cattle over 30 months of age into the country from Canada, the latest step in a long disruption of trade caused by the discovery of mad cow disease there in 2003.

Nebraska Farm Bureau President Keith Olsen says it's an important step to grow international markets, but it's important to do that without harming the American beef industry.

Olsen says he believes Canada still has a problem with mad cow disease and he supports good science and the guidance of the World Organization for Animal Health.