The United States must regain beef export sales, now interrupted by fears of mad cow disease, or risk "a permanent shift in consumer purchasing patterns," Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said.

Dozens of nations cut off shipments of US beef following the Dec. 23 announcement of the first US case of brain-wasting mad cow disease. Veneman said this year's exports are estimated to be 83% below 2003's sales of $3.9 billion.

US officials have strengthened safeguards, such as banning from the food supply cattle too sick to walk. They contend that US beef is safe.

"We are making some progress," Veneman told the House Agriculture Committee, although US beef and cattle "remain banned in the majority of the top 10 markets."

The Bush administration has given high priority to restoring beef exports, normally an outlet for 10% of US production. If beef bans linger, there would be long-term damage to US sales and a possible "permanent shift in consumer purchasing patterns," Veneman said.

She said prolonged bans "may also have ripple effects on other agricultural sectors, such as the feed grain and oilseed sectors." Corn and soybeans - two major US field crops - are fixtures in livestock rations.

The USDA lists more than 50 countries still banning most US beef and cattle products. Only a handful of countries, such as Canada, Mexico and Poland, have reopened their borders to some US beef.

Japan, traditionally the No. 1 market for US beef, has agreed to a series of discussions leading to a decision by summer whether to resume US beef imports. Japan has insisted all slaughter cattle be tested for mad cow disease, a step the United States says is costly and unnecessary.

USDA hopes to see a "full resumption of trade" with Japan.

Veneman and US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick testified on a range of agricultural issues before the House committee. The hearing came two days after a World Trade Organization panel declared some domestic US.cotton subsidies to be illegal. Neither Veneman nor Zoellick directly addressed the ruling in prepared testimony. (Reuters)