USDA to admit Chinese poultry

The US Department of Agriculture is drafting a rule to permit China to export cooked poultry to the United States, although 14 people have died from bird flu in China since 2003, AP reported. Federal officials said since exported chicken would be cooked, there would be no risk of an influenza pandemic. Some believe the proposed regulation could help get China to drop a ban on US beef imports that was imposed after a case of mad cow disease in 2003.