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If companies want to test for BSE, let them

Econ101

Well-known member
If companies want to test for BSE, let them



By MATTHEW WILDE, Courier Staff Writer

Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier

May 14, 2006

Iowa, US



Creekstone Farms Premium Beef is David.



The U.S. Department of Agriculture and corporate America is Goliath.



Iowa cattle farmers should pray little David eventually slays the giant. But I have a feeling the slingshot is empty and free enterprise will continue to take a beating of biblical proportions.



Two months ago, Creekstone Farms sued the department for the right to test every animal it slaughters for mad cow disease. The Kansas packer claims it's losing $40,000 a day because foreign customers don't want to buy beef that isn't tested.



The department doesn't allow individual, discretionary testing --- backed by large meat companies --- citing cost, logistics and fears food safety can't be assured. The USDA and most packers are afraid if one company does it, buyers will want every company to do it.



I don't see the harm in allowing companies that want to test for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, better known as mad cow disease, to do it at their expense. It might even help Iowa farmers.



By keeping small packers in business to compete with the likes of Tyson and Cargill, that increases competition for cattle. In other words, higher prices. Creekstone has already laid off 150 workers due to reduced sales.



Worse yet, the farmer-owned beef plant in Tama closed because beef exports essentially ceased in December 2003. Iowa Quality Beef Supply Cooperative is trying to find a new partner to re-open the facility. I'm not saying open testing would resurrect the plant, but for a company that relied on exports, having the option couldn't hurt.



Joel Brinkmeyer, executive vice president of the Iowa Cattleman's Association and co-op board member, said he hasn't studied plant testing enough to know if it would be a benefit or not.



"I don't think small plants would have an unfair advantage," Brinkmeyer added.



It's hard enough for small packers to compete, but to not allow them to regain market share by offering a niche product is wrong. The principles of capitalism and free enterprise are being ignored. It's like the government not letting a car manufacturer put six airbags in a vehicle to differentiate itself when only four are required.



Kevin Pentz, vice president of operations for Creekstone Farms, said Japanese buyers want them to test, and they want to give their best foreign client what they want.



"We don't hide the fact it's a marketing scenario we're in. We think due diligence as far as what's right by our customers and what customers are demanding ought to take precedence," Pentz said on Agritalk, an ag radio program. Media interviews with Creekstone officials discussing the suit can be found on Creekstone's Web site at www.creekstonefarmspremiumbeef.com.



The company is the 12th largest packer in the U.S., but officials say it only slaughters around 1,000 head a day, or about 1 percent of the country's daily kill. Officials said BSE testing would cost about $20 per head, adding about 10 cents to each pound of beef.



Tama's plant harvested 800 head of cattle a day when it closed.



Lost beef exports has cost the industry in excess of $8 billion. Japan was Iowa's best customer, buying more than $100 million a year. Exports resumed for a brief period late last year to Japan, but closed again after veal cuts with backbone were found in a shipment.



Both Creekstone and USDA officials agree U.S. beef is safe to eat and good preventive BSE measures are in place. The USDA tests 1 percent of the 35 million head of cattle slaughtered each year.



Iowa Sens. Chuck Grassley and Tom Harkin have called for a review of BSE testing rules to restart Iowa's beef trade.



"I don't see a reason why processors who want to go above and beyond at their own expense shouldn't be allowed to do so," Grassley said.



It would be logistically easier for small plants like Creekstone, and possibly Tama, to conduct BSE testing than large plants. And it would give them a sales edge, so it's easy to see why large processors object. However, large companies have advantages too, such as economies of scale. They can weather down turns in profits better and sell meat cheaper because they have more of it.



David is simply trying to use size to his advantage. Unfortunately, Goliath doesn't see it that way.





Matthew Wilde is the Courier's agriculture writer.



wcfcourier.com
 

Tam

Well-known member
Two months ago, Creekstone Farms sued the department for the right to test every animal it slaughters for mad cow disease. The Kansas packer claims it's losing $40,000 a day because foreign customers don't want to buy beef that isn't tested.
Maybe someone should fill this reporter in that this statement is wrong as the Foreign customer that Creekstone was trying to sell to is taking Canadian beef and we don't test it for them. The reason Japan is not taking US beef is because there was bone in the shipments to them and that was a no no. I doubt if they tested the cattle Japan would not have still closed the exports since the agreement was for BONELESS BEEF.[/b]
 

Econ101

Well-known member
Tam said:
Two months ago, Creekstone Farms sued the department for the right to test every animal it slaughters for mad cow disease. The Kansas packer claims it's losing $40,000 a day because foreign customers don't want to buy beef that isn't tested.
Maybe someone should fill this reporter in that this statement is wrong as the Foreign customer that Creekstone was trying to sell to is taking Canadian beef and we don't test it for them. The reason Japan is not taking US beef is because there was bone in the shipments to them and that was a no no. I doubt if they tested the cattle Japan would not have still closed the exports since the agreement was for BONELESS BEEF.[/b]

Tam, your two cents worth and a penny still will not buy a piece of gum in the U.S.
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Tam said:
Two months ago, Creekstone Farms sued the department for the right to test every animal it slaughters for mad cow disease. The Kansas packer claims it's losing $40,000 a day because foreign customers don't want to buy beef that isn't tested.
Maybe someone should fill this reporter in that this statement is wrong as the Foreign customer that Creekstone was trying to sell to is taking Canadian beef and we don't test it for them. The reason Japan is not taking US beef is because there was bone in the shipments to them and that was a no no. I doubt if they tested the cattle Japan would not have still closed the exports since the agreement was for BONELESS BEEF.[/b]

How do you know they would not of taken bone-in beef if it was tested?
 

Tam

Well-known member
Sandhusker said:
Tam said:
Two months ago, Creekstone Farms sued the department for the right to test every animal it slaughters for mad cow disease. The Kansas packer claims it's losing $40,000 a day because foreign customers don't want to buy beef that isn't tested.
Maybe someone should fill this reporter in that this statement is wrong as the Foreign customer that Creekstone was trying to sell to is taking Canadian beef and we don't test it for them. The reason Japan is not taking US beef is because there was bone in the shipments to them and that was a no no. I doubt if they tested the cattle Japan would not have still closed the exports since the agreement was for BONELESS BEEF.[/b]

How do you know they would not of taken bone-in beef if it was tested?

Sandhusker if the US had tested that VEAL animal with the same test the Japanese were using would it have shown a positive? NO So I doubt the fact that it wasn't tested had anything to do with them banning your exports. It was the fact that a ban substance SRM's were in that box that provoked them into re-banning your exports. :roll:
 

Econ101

Well-known member
Tam said:
Sandhusker said:
Tam said:
Maybe someone should fill this reporter in that this statement is wrong as the Foreign customer that Creekstone was trying to sell to is taking Canadian beef and we don't test it for them. The reason Japan is not taking US beef is because there was bone in the shipments to them and that was a no no. I doubt if they tested the cattle Japan would not have still closed the exports since the agreement was for BONELESS BEEF.[/b]

How do you know they would not of taken bone-in beef if it was tested?

Sandhusker if the US had tested that VEAL animal with the same test the Japanese were using would it have shown a positive? NO So I doubt the fact that it wasn't tested had anything to do with them banning your exports. It was the fact that a ban substance SRM's were in that box that provoked them into re-banning your exports. :roll:

The Japanese are not taking U.S. meat because the USDA believes it can bully allies into adopting its sorry policies and the Japanese are not going for it. When you act as the USDA has acted with respect to beef safety and trade, there are consequences.

The reasoning you use for this discussion really is not helpful. I wonder what your motives are in addition to your vitriolic hate of rcalf.
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Tam said:
Sandhusker said:
Tam said:
Maybe someone should fill this reporter in that this statement is wrong as the Foreign customer that Creekstone was trying to sell to is taking Canadian beef and we don't test it for them. The reason Japan is not taking US beef is because there was bone in the shipments to them and that was a no no. I doubt if they tested the cattle Japan would not have still closed the exports since the agreement was for BONELESS BEEF.[/b]

How do you know they would not of taken bone-in beef if it was tested?

Sandhusker if the US had tested that VEAL animal with the same test the Japanese were using would it have shown a positive? NO So I doubt the fact that it wasn't tested had anything to do with them banning your exports. It was the fact that a ban substance SRM's were in that box that provoked them into re-banning your exports. :roll:

Did you not understand my question? More than two years ago, the Japanese were asking for tested beef. Do you know that they would not of taken any tested bone-in beef?
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Sandbag: "More than two years ago, the Japanese were asking for tested beef."

Some Japanese consumers were asking for tested beef UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE TESTS WOULD REVEAL BSE PRIONS IF THEY WERE THERE. Nowhere did the Japanese government ever approve of importing BSE tested beef. Less than 1 year ago, JAPAN WAS TAKING OUR BEEF WITHOUT TESTING.

I've never seen anyone go to such lengths to sell snakeoil to someone who isn't even asking for it but then I didn't realize the depth of deception of some of you blamers.



~SH~
 

Econ101

Well-known member
~SH~ said:
Sandbag: "More than two years ago, the Japanese were asking for tested beef."

Some Japanese consumers were asking for tested beef UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE TESTS WOULD REVEAL BSE PRIONS IF THEY WERE THERE. Nowhere did the Japanese government ever approve of importing BSE tested beef. Less than 1 year ago, JAPAN WAS TAKING OUR BEEF WITHOUT TESTING.

I've never seen anyone go to such lengths to sell snakeoil to someone who isn't even asking for it but then I didn't realize the depth of deception of some of you blamers.



~SH~

Your "logical" road has lead us to where we are today, SH.

WE ARE NOT EXPORTING TO JAPAN!!!
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
~SH~ said:
Sandbag: "More than two years ago, the Japanese were asking for tested beef."

Some Japanese consumers were asking for tested beef UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE TESTS WOULD REVEAL BSE PRIONS IF THEY WERE THERE. Nowhere did the Japanese government ever approve of importing BSE tested beef. Less than 1 year ago, JAPAN WAS TAKING OUR BEEF WITHOUT TESTING.

I've never seen anyone go to such lengths to sell snakeoil to someone who isn't even asking for it but then I didn't realize the depth of deception of some of you blamers.



~SH~

I see the clown act has returned. Get more face paint, SH?

Some Japanese consumers? THEIR GOVERNMENT WAS ASKING FOR IT, SH. YOU KNOW THAT!!!!!!!!!!!! Was your comment intending to mislead or is your memory just that short? You call call others deceivers?

You also have no idea on what the Japanese are assuming. You simply have a biased OPINION.

Get back in your little car and drive away, your act is old.
 

Murgen

Well-known member
Has it ever occured to anybody that the Japanese may have been asking for something (testing) which they knew would never be granted?

So the next question would be, why would the Japanese want to place "unobtainable" demands on the US?
 

Econ101

Well-known member
Murgen said:
Has it ever occured to anybody that the Japanese may have been asking for something (testing) which they knew would never be granted?

So the next question would be, why would the Japanese want to place "unobtainable" demands on the US?

Then why did the USDA not play the game and call them on their offer? We have some pretty poor players in the USDA.

The fact is that Australia was willing to test anytime the Japs asked for it.

See who is still in the game.
 

Murgen

Well-known member
Don't forget, Canada is still in "the game" too. We are shipping to Japan, without testing.

So, it makes me wonder what "game" the Japanese feel the US is not playing.
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Murgen said:
Has it ever occured to anybody that the Japanese may have been asking for something (testing) which they knew would never be granted?

So the next question would be, why would the Japanese want to place "unobtainable" demands on the US?

What would they have to gain? They're still importing most of their beef, it's just from the South instead of the West.

I really don't think that is the case. Look at the situation - they're not asking anything from us that they're not asking of themselves. How would it look for them to make their own producers test, but not the US? I don't think that would fly at all. They've got to ask at least as much from us to keep peace at home.

From what I understand, their government is not like ours - they hold the individuals higher than they do the corporations. What a novel concept.
 

Tam

Well-known member
Sandhusker said:
Murgen said:
Has it ever occured to anybody that the Japanese may have been asking for something (testing) which they knew would never be granted?

So the next question would be, why would the Japanese want to place "unobtainable" demands on the US?

What would they have to gain? They're still importing most of their beef, it's just from the South instead of the West.

I really don't think that is the case. Look at the situation - they're not asking anything from us that they're not asking of themselves. How would it look for them to make their own producers test, but not the US? I don't think that would fly at all. They've got to ask at least as much from us to keep peace at home.

From what I understand, their government is not like ours - they hold the individuals higher than they do the corporations. What a novel concept.

UN-like the US


Oh I seem to remember them being caught up in the deception of there is no BSE in JAPAN and having go to 100% testing to calm the consumer fears just so they could save their beef industry :roll:
 

Murgen

Well-known member
Sandhusker, could it be that they too are trying to move away from testing everything, because they don't see the value in it?

So they settled on age and deboned product, only to be disappointed with the boxes labeled "bone-in".

I'd question the capabilites of an industry to follow regulations too, if they sent a boxed labelled as such.
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Murgen said:
Sandhusker, could it be that they too are trying to move away from testing everything, because they don't see the value in it?

So they settled on age and deboned product, only to be disappointed with the boxes labeled "bone-in".

I'd question the capabilites of an industry to follow regulations too, if they sent a boxed labelled as such.

I think their government is trying to get away from it. I think the problem is that they created a monster by their initial coverup and their population doesn't want to take any chances - that fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me deal.

I, too would question an industry that, after all that had happened, couldn't keep a banned substance such as a bone out of a shipment. You then look at what the USDA has done with the Washington cow, the Texas cow, Fong having to step in, etc.... and it's a wonder they even give us the courtesty of acknowledging that we even sell beef at all.

The macro problem that spawns others is the ^&$%%^ USDA's priority of business over health and safety. :mad:
 

DiamondSCattleCo

Well-known member
Murgen said:
Don't forget, Canada is still in "the game" too. We are shipping to Japan, without testing.

So, it makes me wonder what "game" the Japanese feel the US is not playing.

Lets just bear in mind for a moment that our exports into Japan are at a fraction of what they used to be. Our M-ID program has alot to do with that, as does our testing percentage. It shows that we are taking at least a semi-serious approach to the BSE issues. I've talked to at least two small startup concerns who could ship beef if it was 100% BSE tested OR age verified. I've also talked to a few producer reps in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan who understand that we dropped the ball on age verification and 100% BSE testing, however they also don't want to rock the boat and try to start a movement due to peer pressure.

American producers don't have it quite as good. No traceback. An agency who is going to scale back testing, versus increase it. The bone in meat was an error that anyone could have made, and the Japanese know it. I believe they were looking for a reason to close US exports. While being a Canadian cattle producer is no walk in the park, I think US producers are in for even rougher times in the not too distant future.

Pure suppostion on my part, but I believe if a chunk of bone were left in Canadian beef, we'd be able to apologize, and ship em a new box. Done deal. Why? Because we've been willing, to a an ever so slightly greater extent, to work with the Japanese. But we've got to be careful. If countries who understand marketing like Australia keep being allowed to run amok with no competition, we'll soon be in the same boat as the US.

Rod
 

Econ101

Well-known member
DiamondSCattleCo said:
Murgen said:
Don't forget, Canada is still in "the game" too. We are shipping to Japan, without testing.

So, it makes me wonder what "game" the Japanese feel the US is not playing.

Lets just bear in mind for a moment that our exports into Japan are at a fraction of what they used to be. Our M-ID program has alot to do with that, as does our testing percentage. It shows that we are taking at least a semi-serious approach to the BSE issues. I've talked to at least two small startup concerns who could ship beef if it was 100% BSE tested OR age verified. I've also talked to a few producer reps in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan who understand that we dropped the ball on age verification and 100% BSE testing, however they also don't want to rock the boat and try to start a movement due to peer pressure.

American producers don't have it quite as good. No traceback. An agency who is going to scale back testing, versus increase it. The bone in meat was an error that anyone could have made, and the Japanese know it. I believe they were looking for a reason to close US exports. While being a Canadian cattle producer is no walk in the park, I think US producers are in for even rougher times in the not too distant future.

Pure suppostion on my part, but I believe if a chunk of bone were left in Canadian beef, we'd be able to apologize, and ship em a new box. Done deal. Why? Because we've been willing, to a an ever so slightly greater extent, to work with the Japanese. But we've got to be careful. If countries who understand marketing like Australia keep being allowed to run amok with no competition, we'll soon be in the same boat as the US.

Rod

In any successful sale, the customer must go walking away feeling good. Selling items with a "ha ha gotcha, I got away with it" approach only loses the next sale.

The USDA has no business in sales. They should be fired.
 

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