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As it stands now, mushers will be allowed to use dry dog food that contains no beef products, as well as other nonbeef foods such as chicken and turkey.

Nervous mushers are keeping their fingers crossed that they will be able to use beef during the race.

The situation is an improvement after a blanket prohibition was placed on mushers Dec. 24, which banned all American pet food, beef or no beef. But it still represents a logistical and competitive nightmare for Alaska mushers, who will have to figure out a way to deal with the ban if it remains.

"That helps considerably, but it doesn't solve the whole problem," Alaska Executive Race Director Layne St. John said in Fairbanks.

Quest organizers in Whitehorse have written the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in Ottawa regarding border-crossing policies for mushers entering the race between Fairbanks and Whitehorse, said Stephen Reynolds, race manager for the Yukon side.

"We're discussing what is and what is not possible," said Reynolds, who is hoping to get an official word in the next few days.

Many mushers, for example, use lamb meat as part of the dog-food diet because of its high fat content and gamey taste that stimulates the dogs' appetites. But it's not clear if the dog food containing the lamb meat will be able to cross the border, he said.

Mushers and race officials are hoping the Canadian government will issue mushers permits to allow the use of beef before the Jan. 23-24 deadline for food drops. That's when mushers must have their dog food organized that will be dropped at checkpoints along the race route.

"That would make my life a lot easier," said West, who will be starting the race for the second time. "I'm barely getting my food drops together as it is, let alone having to go over that hurdle."

There are 35 mushers signed up to run the race, which begins in Fairbanks on Feb. 14.

Quest officials have discussed contingency plans, such as moving the date of the food drop back or having volunteers in Whitehorse put together food drops for Alaska mushers using meat purchased in Canada, said race manager Dave Rich.

This is the second straight year that the Quest has had to deal with last-minute dog food controversies as a result of disease scares.

Last year, race officials had to obtain special permits for Canadian mushers to get their food into Alaska because of restrictions in place due to an outbreak of hoof and mouth disease in Europe.