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First load of Canadian Cattle crosses the border

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Kato

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Truckload of Canadian cattle enters U.S.
Last Updated Mon, 18 Jul 2005 14:54:39 EDT
CBC News
A truck carrying live Canadian cattle crossed the border from Ontario into the United States on Monday morning, after a ban of more than two years was lifted.


INDEPTH: Mad Cow Disease

Agriculture Canada told CBC News that a second truck would ship more cattle into the United States from Alberta later in the day.

Officials with the federal agriculture department wouldn't specify where the trucks were crossing or where they were heading, citing privacy concerns.

However, the Schaus Land and Cattle Company of Elmwood, Ont., said it shipped a load of 35 cattle across the border at Lewiston, N.Y., at about noon.

Ken Schaus told a radio station that the cattle were destined for a Pennsylvania slaughter facility.

The 26-month border closure, imposed in May 2003 when the first case of mad cow disease was confirmed in a Canadian-born animal, devastated the country's cattle industry. The Canadian Cattlemen's Association has estimated that the ban cost producers more than $5.6 billion.

Last week, a U.S. federal appeals court overturned a temporary injunction that was keeping the border closed, opening the door for live cattle under the age of 30 months to begin moving south again.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture had said that in light of the ruling, it would immediately begin the process to resume imports.

Canadian and U.S. governments had to work out export rules before cattle could begin moving, including permits, detailed descriptions of the animals and the routes the trucks would take to the border.

The USDA was ready to open the border on March 7, but days before a Montana judge granted a temporary injunction sought by the American ranchers' group R-CALF, which argued Canada doesn't adequately test for mad cow disease.

The border fight is not yet over. R-CALF is to go back to court before the same judge on July 27, seeking to make the injunction permanent. It's not clear what the appeals court decision means for that hearing.

R-CALF has said it would take the matter to the Supreme Court.

The U.S. resumed the import of some cuts of Canadian beef in August 2003, but wouldn't allow live cattle to cross the border.
There have been three cases of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), in total in Canada. The first case in the U.S. – an infected cow in Washington state in December 2003 – was born in Canada.

In June, the U.S. confirmed its first case of BSE in a U.S.-born cow.
 
If the market naturally evolved the way it was, which is mostly the case, then the unnatural competitors will suffer a competitive disadvantage when natural market conditions resume.
 
Brad S said:
If the market naturally evolved the way it was, which is mostly the case, then the unnatural competitors will suffer a competitive disadvantage when natural market conditions resume.

Market "evolution" has been guided by trade policy that has been responsible for changing herd sizes and slaughter capacities in the US and Canada. Trade policy should have a hand in ensuring continued strength in Canadian slaughter capacity. I for one never want to see "natural market conditions" like we've had since NAFTA ever again.
 
I did notice, Kato, and I understand one more load is to go through tomorrow. Were gonna have a runaway :wink:
 
If you look at all the government people involved in handling these cattle on both sides of the border, it will probably not add anything to the Canadian ranchers' price. We may as well keep them in Canada and process them here. Why do we have to pay the wages of a bunch of paper-pushers. The government loves to create jobs on the back of our hardships.
 
redriver said:
If you look at all the government people involved in handling these cattle on both sides of the border, it will probably not add anything to the Canadian ranchers' price. We may as well keep them in Canada and process them here. Why do we have to pay the wages of a bunch of paper-pushers. The government loves to create jobs on the back of our hardships.

:cry2:
 
I guess we will see how this affects the price of US calves. We will also see how this affects the opportunity for US producers to export cattle. Will opening the Canadian border quicken the border opening with Japan and other importers?
It may take a month or so to start seeing a large volume of cattle moving south. I suspect buyers are still a little weary of buying Canadian cattle until the border is open for a while and people have confidence that bought cattle will not be stuck behind the border.

On another note: The border is open now so let us try to make the best of it. Let us work with Canada to work out an ID system that works with both US and Canadian producers. A good ID system that tracks pasture to plate with Country of origin labeling on beef products.
 
Alabama said:
I guess we will see how this affects the price of US calves. We will also see how this affects the opportunity for US producers to export cattle. Will opening the Canadian border quicken the border opening with Japan and other importers?
It may take a month or so to start seeing a large volume of cattle moving south. I suspect buyers are still a little weary of buying Canadian cattle until the border is open for a while and people have confidence that bought cattle will not be stuck behind the border.

On another note: The border is open now so let us try to make the best of it. Let us work with Canada to work out an ID system that works with both US and Canadian producers. A good ID system that tracks pasture to plate with Country of origin labeling on beef products.

Canada has a "pasture to plate" ID system. It is the US that needs to get with the program, but first you have to overcome the isolationist attitude that seems to go right down to the farm level.
 

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