Apathy is killing us

[ccsheep]

It seems like everyone has a comment about opening the canadian border to older cattle even the canadains. I just got off the site to make a personnal comment on the issue and there is less than 80 comment and many are from Canadian producers. The Canandian are more passionate about opening the border the the US produces is keeping it closed. Why should USDA/APHIS really care what they do to us when so few produces don't care enough to even annoy them with a comment.

What is really going to kill our markets is the regionalization of Argentina. When USDA/APHIS starts letting calves in from countries with foot and mouth diesease just because of a imaginary line in the middle of a country our markets will be (you know where) Mandatory animal ID will be important to controll FMD when it gets here. Argentina cattle producers are not making comments but US producers are not either. only about 18 people have found time to make a comment.

If you don't like it, why not make a comment to the right place. Go to www.regulations.gov under agencies click on the animal plant health inspection service hit submit and tell them what you think.

 

[Anonymous]

Don't worry ccsheep-- I am going to comment-- but we have until March 12th- and I'm confident the next Canadian BSE positive will show up before then--and the odds are with me that it will again be POST feedban, so I'll wait another couple weeks so I can cover the situation as it truly exists.....

 

[Kato]

The Argentina issue. Now there's a worry. :!:

I remember several years ago when Britain got hit. WE DO NOT WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT!!!!! It would make BSE look like a picnic. If I recall correctly, it all got going because someone fed some suspect restaurant leftovers to some pigs. It was as simple as that.

Imagine driving down the road and seeing the smoke from the piles of burning carcasses after your whole herd has been shot. :shock: Watching your lifes work go up in smoke. Imagine being under quarantine, and not being able to sell any livestock at all. Imagine having to disinfect your truck tires before and after leaving your yard. No visitors. Sale barns all shut down. Everything grinds to a halt. Everyone stays home, and cuts off contact with the outside world. Tourism ends.

A neighbour of ours from England went home to visit family during the FMD outbreak there. She had to spend two weeks in the city before she could return to her farm. Even then she was nervous going out into the yard, even though she had not been on a farm in England.

Is everyone here willing to live like that? If a disease is so contagious that it can be carried on your clothes or truck tires, then how can an imaginary line in the sand stop it from spreading. It only takes one infected animal to slip through, and away it goes.

Everyone here should read this. It is an eye-opener.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/fmd/2001/1967a.htm