Ireland is the first European country to regain access to U.S. sales following removal of trade restrictions put in place against mad cow disease 15 years ago, says Irish Times. It quotes Irish Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney as saying the nation spent two years “to prove our credentials as a supplier of highest quality premium beef.” Coveney said grass-fed beef sold for higher prices in America, a huge market, than in any other country and he hoped for a small share of U.S. beef imports this year. The U.S. market for grass-fed beef was growing by 20 percent a year, he said according to Irish Times.