WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration halted plans to increase imports of beef and cattle from Canada amid new evidence that Canada's safeguards against mad cow disease are not working.

The Canadian safeguards are stricter than those in the United States, which is under pressure from McDonald's and other food companies to toughen the rules in this country.

The Bush administration had been poised to expand beef trade with Canada, but the department said Friday the plan is on hold while Canada investigates a recently discovered case of mad cow disease.

"It is important to confirm that Canada's regulatory system is effectively protecting consumers and livestock so there is no question about safety as we proceed," Agriculture Department spokesman Ed Loyd said Friday.

The executive vice president of the North Dakota Stockmen's Association said Friday's news was not unexpected.

"When we were at a meeting a couple of weeks ago, we kind of got an indication (from agriculture officials) this was going to happen," Wade Moser said Friday. A full and fair investigation is better than going ahead with new rules "like a bull in a china shop," he said.