(NAFB) – Brazil is partially halting beef production intended for China while waiting on China to lift an export ban.

Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry made the announcement while claiming China is taking too long to lift the ban. The suspension started on September 4 when Brazil confirmed two atypical cases of mad cow disease, and followed existing trade protocols between Brazil and China. The ministry has also temporarily allowed beef processors to store for up to 60 days meat produced before China’s suspension took place, according to Reuters.

Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry announced this week its Agriculture Minister is willing to travel to China to discuss with Chinese counterparts a potential end to the ban. The World Organization for Animal Health last month said it won’t make any change to Brazil’s status as a “negligible risk” country for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, the scientific term for mad cow disease.

Brazilian beef accounts for 40 percent of China’s imports.