US makes headway against ban on beef and poultry exports

The US is making headway in lifting the bans that China, Mexico and other leading customers have imposed on US beef and poultry exports because of mad cow and bird diseases, Agriculture Depar-tment officials said.

Next China may announce progress toward reducing restrictions on US beef and poultry, and Mexico will announce that it will open its borders to more US poultry, they said Friday.

Officials sounded less optimistic about coming talks with Japanese officials.

In a wide-ranging news conference, the officials also said the government's plans to increase testing for mad cow disease are on target.