USDA officials are downplaying the impact of a beef-trade protocol recently signed by Canada and Hong Kong, saying the former's access to the latter's market is still limited.

USDA Press Secretary Keith Williams told Meatingplace that Washington has been rejecting the same phased-in deal because it is not based on sound science.

Under the new deal, Hong Kong initially will allow Canada to ship ribs cuts and most bone-in product from cattle younger than 30 months of age.

If the four-month phase-in period goes well, Hong Kong will begin to permit Canadian rib cuts, boneless beef and offal from Canadian cattle of all ages. If Canada meets Hong Kong's remaining requirements by the end of this calendar year, Hong Kong will allow all remaining Canadian beef exports from cattle younger than thirty months of age.

"We've seen this before," Williams said of Hong Kong's deal with Canada. "We've seen it for what it is."

But, according to Canadian media reports, Ottawa is calling the deal a breakthrough that could double current exports.

Hong Kong currently limits imports of U.S. beef to boneless cuts from cattle younger than 30 months of age on fears of bovine spongiform encephalopathy stemming back to an outbreak in late 2003. Washington wants full access to the Hong Kong market.