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Ranchers.net

US Still Expected To Accept Over 30 Months Canadian Cattle



WiINNIPEG (Dow Jones)--A Canadian cattle official said the recent demands of a U.S. cattle producing group should not affect changes to a proposed U.S. rule on whether to accept Canadian cattle over 30 months of age. He also noted that the rule is now out of the hands of the USDA.



R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America responded to news of Canada's latest bovine spongifrom encephalopathy (BSE) case by stating that the USDA should indefinitely postpone plans to revise its ban on older Canadian cattle.



"Their only venue is through the courts and so far they've been defeated at every court challenge that they've been involved in," said Rob McNabb, assistant general manager of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association (CCA). He said R-CALF previously lost two court appeals in relation to the first revisions to the ban in 2004.



"The court system has recognized the USDA has both the authority and the competency to deal with this."



He said the USDA has yet to make an official statement on revising the rule, as it is currently in the hands of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.



McNabb said the latest the CCA heard from the USDA was when it announced in a release July 13 that a USDA expert will be sent to Canada to participate in the investigation of the case.



"We welcome the fact that they're going to send someone up to participate and see things first hand," he said.



The U.S. banned all Canadian beef and cattle in May 2003 after the first case of BSE in Canada was discovered. In 2004 Canadian cattle under 30 months were allowed in for slaughter, and beef products from animals under 30 months were also allowed.



McNabb said the latest revisions to the rule are to expand the list of what is acceptable to include animals over 30 months for slaughter, as well as product from animals over 30 months and breeding cattle born after a certain date.



The latest BSE case, which was reported on July 10 and confirmed on July 13, involved a cow born four years after the 1997 implementation of a ban on ruminant-to-ruminant cattle feed. Infected feed is believed to be the cause the spread of the disease.



"In light of our recent case, that date is the uncertainty at the moment," he said.



Source:Alan MacKenzie, Dow Jones Newswires, (204) 947-1700, [email protected]
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