Johanns: Closed border will send jobs to Canada

[CattleAnnie]

Of particular note (and not to get on the bashing wagon), but... Quote:

"Bill Bullard, R-CALF's chief executive officer, said signs of packing-plant construction in Canada are not a response to the border controversy"

This statement has left me wondering what on earth (if anything) Mr. Bullard knows about the effect that BSE has had on the Canadian cattle industry???

Article below. (Two more calves and that wraps up my shift for the night. Have a good day all.)

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Johanns: Closed border will send jobs to Canada

BY ART HOVEY / Lincoln Journal Star Fri. Mar.4/05

KEARNEY —

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns warned Thursday that failure to accept Canadian cattle in the United States would result in meatpacking companies building more plants north of the border.

Johanns delivered his warning here to an audience of about 400 at the 17th annual Governor's Ag Conference. It came a day after a Montana judge issued an injunction that will keep the border closed past a Monday target date for readmitting cattle under 30 months of age.

"All of a sudden the industry is restructuring in ways that won't be changed in anybody's lifetime who's in this room," Johanns said.

Johanns' remarks add to a topsy-turvy situation that started almost two years ago with a confirmed case of mad cow disease in Canada and escalated with a confirmed case in Washington state.



In January, two more confirmed cases in Canada turned up shortly after a decision from the Bush administration to reopen the U.S. border on March 7.

Bush's right-hand man at the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Thursday that a prolonged blockage at the border will cost the United States jobs in the meatpacking sector and could disrupt meatpacking operations in Nebraska in the short term.

Plants at West Point and Norfolk just reopened in late February after being closed for several weeks.

"Where the processing is at is where the cattle will be," Johanns said.

Johanns, who stepped down as Nebraska governor in January and then stepped into a meat-safety and trade controversy, also suggested Thursday that the United States was caught in a very inconsistent position as long as Canadian cattle are kept out.

While the United States tries to get Japan to drop a ban that could be costing Nebraska producers as much as $300 million per year, he said, the Japanese are hearing, "Oh, by the way, don't pay any attention to what we're doing to our friends in Canada."

Johanns' views were quickly disputed by R-CALF USA, or Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, which brought its case before a Montana judge Wednesday.

Speaking from Billings, Mont., later Thursday, Bill Bullard, R-CALF's chief executive officer, said signs of packing-plant construction in Canada are not a response to the border controversy.

"The fact of the matter is some packers, Tyson and Cargill, have, for many years, been transferring processing capacity outside of the United States," Bullard said.

It's about cheap labor and related cost savings, he said.

Bullard also disputed Johanns' claim that the United States is complying with international standards by treating Canada as a minimal-risk country for mad cow disease, also known as BSE, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

He said Johanns' department should consider Canada a moderate-risk country for the disease because Canada won't meet the required eight-year enforcement of a ban on feeding beef bone tissue and other body parts to cattle until August, Bullard said, citing international rules.

Stepping forward in a highly charged atmosphere, Gov. Dave Heineman tried to add some levity to his introduction of Johanns as a noon luncheon speaker.

He pointed out that a Kearney television station was carrying the Johanns speech live.

"That means they're going to pre-empt ‘All My Children' for the secretary of agriculture," Heineman said.

Johanns was quick to try to contain any political damage.

"For all of you out in TV land, if I pre-empted your favorite show, I really am sorry about that."

Reach Art Hovey at 523-4949 or at ahovey@alltel.net.

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Take care.

[Mike]

"Johanns: Closed border will send jobs to Canada"

So is Johanns now spokesman for the US Dept of Labor?

Poor guy, I bet he fully understands why Ann Veneman didn't let the door hit her in the a$$ on the way out. By not acknowledging that BSE could possibly be a "food safety" issue for some was a huge mistake for the USDA.

[Sandhusker]

I'd really like to know what those jobs really contribute to the local economies. The packing plants in Nebraska are largely staffed by Mexican nationals. They send millions back to reletives in Mexico (dollars that do not help the economy). Many of these workers are good people, but a good share of them are not as violent crimes and drug arrests in packing plant communities are much, much greater post plant. The larger population also necessitates more government services, strains schools, etc... Bottom line is that a packing plant's contribution to a local economy is much different than a manufacturing plant's. It would be interesting to know the whole picture.

[mlsfarms]

Very good point Sandhusker. Ever try to get into Canada if you have any type of criminal record? Even truckers who plan to enter and leave have some real issues in that regard. The old Buszcszcszchhh Whacker is pulling out all the stops to get the border opened. Even to the point of a veto of any action of the Congress. Does this guy have a clue?!?!?!?

[Les]

OH NO Sandhusker the towns will get larger. Do you want the towns to die off? You want to live in the 1930`s all your life?

[Les]

mlsfarms....You cant get in to the states from canada if you have a record either.But what does that have to do with packing houses???

[SMS]

Speaking from Billings, Mont., later Thursday, Bill Bullard, R-CALF's chief executive officer, said signs of packing-plant construction in Canada are not a response to the border controversy.

"The fact of the matter is some packers, Tyson and Cargill, have, for many years, been transferring processing capacity outside of the United States," Bullard said.

It's about cheap labor and related cost savings, he said.



Cheap Labor
In discussion's with the organizer's of Ranchers Own Meat Processing, which i am a share holder of, is going to be paying around $15/hr starting wage. Also the only reason that this plant is being built it to take control of our industry back, because of the the border being closed. I am sorry, but the more i hear this Bullard fellow the more i think he should be on the short bus to the special school than speaking for you guys. If this is the best you have to offer, then I have lost all respect for the US cattlemen as honorable gentlemen and resonable people. Sorry but thats just how i feel after reading this BS.

[Kato]

Has Mr. Bullard ever actually crossed the border? Or spoken to a real live Canadian? Sometimes it makes you wonder .....

We live near a small town that had a hog processing plant move in. Yes, the crime rate did go up, but that levelled off and settled right down within a year or two, when the workforce stabilized. It's a business with a very high turnover in employees when a new plant starts up, mainly due to those employees discovering what a hard dirty job it is. After a year or two, it settled in with the people who are planning on sticking around and things started to improved for our town.

Any talk of that plant leaving now sends the town council into a panic. They have also gone out of their way to welcome a new beef processing plant that will process 50,000 head a year. If having a slaughter plant in town wasn't beneficial, I sure can't see them looking for a second one!

If you guys don't want them, we're glad to have the jobs here.

[Sandhusker]

[Bull Burger]

[Maple Leaf Angus]

Sandhusker - better be careful about your snipes at nationality. If you bear any resemblance to your avitar, we might be left guessing as to what your ancestry is.

[Kato]

Most are Canadian, but there is another very large plant in Brandon Manitoba that uses workers from Canada, some from Mexico, and some from Africa.

They have noticed NO difference in the crime rate there.