CCA working on contingency plan
by Rae Groeneveld
The Canadian Cattlemen's Association (CCA) is developing a contingency plan in the event the American border closes to shipments of boxed boneless beef.
"We keep making the analogy of a fire house. If the building is burning you don't want be buying the fire truck at that time," reasoned John Masswohl Director of Industry Relations with the CCA. "You hope you never need to use it but it is best to have a plan."
Boxed beef has been allowed into the U.S. since September of 2003 when the USDA released a list of products that could be imported from Canada. That was the first step in re-accessing the American market following the complete border closure in May of 2003, when the first case of BSE was discovered in Alberta.
The protectionist farm group R-Calf has recently filed papers with a Montana court calling for a halt to Canadian beef imports. Their arguments will be part of the court hearings in late July where Justice Richard Cebull will determine whether the American border re-opens to live Canadian livestock imports, stays closed to live animal trade, or closes further to boxed beef imports.
Masswohl believes there really is no case to stop Canadian boxed beef from entering the U.S. but with the success R-Calf has had in getting Justice Cebull to rule in their favor, he wants to be prepared in the event the worst happens.
The CCA has been in discussions with the federal government on ways to limit the impact of a closed American border to boxed Canadian beef.
"We're talking to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency about the possibility of emergency harvest facilities if the existing packers decide they cannot process all of the animals that go through."
Work is also increasing to get Canadian beef into other export markets such as Taiwan, Egypt, and Japan. Masswohl says they are also considering meeting BSE testing requirements necessary to get beef into countries like Japan.
"Japan has said all along they would take tested beef and that is something that fits into our contingency plan. If we have got a lot of product to move we have to seriously consider BSE certification for market purposes."
America currently takes about 400 thousand tones of boxed beef from Canada each year.
Masswohl notes Canada has an ally if the border closes. He claims Mexico has committed to stop purchasing the same amount of U.S. beef as the U.S. would normally buy from Canada. Mexico would then replace their lost U.S. imports with Canadian beef.
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We have been sitting with closed borders for 2 YEARS and now the CCA says that Japan would have taken tested Canadian beef all along???????????
by Rae Groeneveld
The Canadian Cattlemen's Association (CCA) is developing a contingency plan in the event the American border closes to shipments of boxed boneless beef.
"We keep making the analogy of a fire house. If the building is burning you don't want be buying the fire truck at that time," reasoned John Masswohl Director of Industry Relations with the CCA. "You hope you never need to use it but it is best to have a plan."
Boxed beef has been allowed into the U.S. since September of 2003 when the USDA released a list of products that could be imported from Canada. That was the first step in re-accessing the American market following the complete border closure in May of 2003, when the first case of BSE was discovered in Alberta.
The protectionist farm group R-Calf has recently filed papers with a Montana court calling for a halt to Canadian beef imports. Their arguments will be part of the court hearings in late July where Justice Richard Cebull will determine whether the American border re-opens to live Canadian livestock imports, stays closed to live animal trade, or closes further to boxed beef imports.
Masswohl believes there really is no case to stop Canadian boxed beef from entering the U.S. but with the success R-Calf has had in getting Justice Cebull to rule in their favor, he wants to be prepared in the event the worst happens.
The CCA has been in discussions with the federal government on ways to limit the impact of a closed American border to boxed Canadian beef.
"We're talking to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency about the possibility of emergency harvest facilities if the existing packers decide they cannot process all of the animals that go through."
Work is also increasing to get Canadian beef into other export markets such as Taiwan, Egypt, and Japan. Masswohl says they are also considering meeting BSE testing requirements necessary to get beef into countries like Japan.
"Japan has said all along they would take tested beef and that is something that fits into our contingency plan. If we have got a lot of product to move we have to seriously consider BSE certification for market purposes."
America currently takes about 400 thousand tones of boxed beef from Canada each year.
Masswohl notes Canada has an ally if the border closes. He claims Mexico has committed to stop purchasing the same amount of U.S. beef as the U.S. would normally buy from Canada. Mexico would then replace their lost U.S. imports with Canadian beef.
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We have been sitting with closed borders for 2 YEARS and now the CCA says that Japan would have taken tested Canadian beef all along???????????
No excuses for CCA Bill, but who the hell in Canada was going to test beef for BSE for export markets. THE PACKERS IN CANADA ARE PROFITTING PROFUSELY AND DO NOT NEED ONE LITTLE BIT OF HINDERENCE.