Keep America FMD Free

[ccsheep]

A delegation of Administration officials are in Argentina today, and according to Argentine press reports, opening the U.S. border to Argentine meat is on the meeting's agenda.



For those of you who haven't been following the Argentine meat issue closely, it boils down to the three letters U.S. cattlemen fear the most: F-M-D. Argentina has Foot and Mouth Disease, America doesn't, and we need to keep it that way.



The Administration believes that Argentina can be trusted to keep FMD out of the United States. But Argentina hasn't earned this kind of trust. When Brazil filed international trade cases against American farmers, Argentina was first in line to join that suit. And when U.S. businesses and taxpayers loaned Argentina billions a few years ago, we were repaid with the largest loan default in history.



Luckily, not everyone in the government is so trusting of Argentina. Senators Tim Johnson and Michael Enzi just introduced a bill that would make it impossible for the USDA to open our market to Argentine meat potentially infested with FMD.



Their "Keep America FMD Free" bill would prohibit the importation of Argentine meat and pork until the USDA can prove to Congress that every region of Argentina is free of FMD.



The U.S. Cattlemen's Association, a group that I proudly belong to, has been at the forefront of this fight since we passed a resolution over a year ago, and we're making it a top priority to get the Johnson-Enzi bill passed. Please contact your representative in the Senate and ask them to support this bill.

 

[Sandhusker]

Washington, D.C. (July 10, 2008) – Today, sponsors Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., and Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., along with co-sponsors Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., and Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., introduced legislation to protect the U.S. from the introduction of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) from Argentina.

The bill prohibits the importation of Argentine ruminants and swine, or any fresh, chilled or frozen meat or product of any ruminant swine born, raised or slaughtered in Argentina until the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture certifies to Congress that every region of Argentina is free of FMD without vaccination.

"We especially want to thank Senator Johnson and Senator Enzi for taking the lead on this important matter," said R-CALF USA President/Region VI Director Max Thornsberry, a Missouri veterinarian who also chairs the group's animal health committee. "The USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) had planned to reopen our border to these suspect products, despite the fact that Argentina detected a case of FMD as recently as 2006.

"FMD is recognized internationally as one of the most contagious diseases of cloven-hoofed animals and it bears the potential to cause severe economic losses to U.S. cattle producers," he continued. "This piece of common-sense legislation recognizes that the most effective prevention measure against this highly contagious disease is to ensure that it is not imported into the U.S. from countries where FMD is known to exist or was recently detected."

On March 6, 2007, R-CALF USA filed comprehensive comments in opposition to USDA's Jan. 5, 2007, proposed rule to change the FMD disease status of the Patagonia South Region of Argentina. R-CALF USA's membership-developed policy states that the organization "opposes the weakening of any animal health or food safety standard concerning the importation of cattle or beef into the United States."

"It is comforting to know that at least the legislative branch of our federal government plainly recognizes the obvious risk these imports from Argentina would pose to the U.S.," Thornsberry concluded.

In letters to Johnson and Enzi, R-CALF USA said it stands ready to assist in building both industry and congressional support for this important disease-prevention measure and thanked the Senators for initiating this needed legislation to protect the U.S. cattle industry.

Note: To view R-CALF USA's letters to Johnson and Enzi, visit the "Animal Health" link at www.r-calfusa.com.

 

[Heads Up]

ATFA Commends U.S. Cattlemen's Association on Bill Addressing FMD in Argentine Cattle
Legislation called "Important first Step" by ATFA Executive Director

Thursday, July 10, 2008

(WASHINGTON, DC) - American Task Force Argentina (ATFA) commends the organization's coalition member, United States Cattlemen's Association (USCA), on their successful efforts to promote the introduction of legislation that further highlights Argentina's poor record of dealing with Americans.

ATFA Executive Director Robert Raben congratulated USCA on their strong support of this bill, and noted the close working relationship that USCA has maintained with ATFA in exposing Argentina's record of unfair treatment of American businesses, investors, taxpayers and consumers.

"It's been our pleasure to work with USCA on various legislative issues concerning our shared mission of holding Argentina accountable for undermining the interests of US teachers and investors, defying U.S. court judgments and exporting unsafe beef. USCA has truly persevered with this legislation. It's an important first step, and ATFA looks forward to collaborating with USCA on future efforts to ensure accountability by Argentina. We will continue to press the U.S. government to assist Americans in collecting billions in unpaid debt that the Argentine government has refused to honor. These unpaid debts harm American taxpayers, teachers and pensioners."

Senators Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Michael Enzi (R-WY) introduced the "Keep America FMD Free" bill, which addresses the danger of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Argentine beef. The government of Argentina has done little to aid farmers in tackling FMD, and the Johnson-Enzi bill will block meat imports from Argentina until that country is certified to be FMD free.

USCA Animal Health Director Chuck Kiker spoke in May at an ATFA roundtable on Capitol Hill in which he addressed the immediate need for Congress to act on this issue.

Kiker noted that Argentina's FMD issue is just one component of the Argentine government's disregard for the rules of the international community, referring specifically to Argentina's massive sovereign debt default and its subsequent repudiation of some $3 billion in loans by American investors.

For additional information, please visit our new website at www.atfa.org, or contact [email protected], or +1-888-662-2382.

###

 

[Anonymous]

Nice to see R-CALF and USCA both working so hard to support AMERICAN cattlemen and women-and the US cattle herd- and the longterm viability of the US cattle industry....
Wheres NCBA :???:

 

[PORKER]

Michael Doran EU said this report was only published 3 months ago and is damning in its criticism of Brazil.

Michael Doran said the latest foot and mouth disease outbreaks in South America are very worrying. He said in the last 3 weeks new outbreaks of FMD have occurred in Bolivia and Venezuela, confirming that the vaccination policy is haphazard and ineffective. It proves the disease is only being suppressed and beef imports from South America post a major FMD risk to Europe.

The US TOO.

 

[Heads Up]

"confirming that the vaccination policy is haphazard and ineffective"

Not exactly the kind of words I want associated with a country the USDA is about to approve fresh meat and live runinants from!

 

[Sandhusker]

Guess who sent every congressman a letter this morning urging them to OPPOSE Sen. Johnson's bill?

 

[Anonymous]

Guess who sent every congressman a letter this morning urging them to OPPOSE Sen. Johnson's bill?

I got it on first guess :wink: :lol: Do I win a cupie doll :???:

Again supporting the multinational corporates and the importers over the US cattleman- and interests of the US cattle industry and US cattle herd....

No wonder they've continually fought against USA BEEF!

July 17, 2008


NCBA Fighting Against Interests of U.S. Cattle Producers

With Campaign to Kill Foot-and-Mouth Disease Bill



Washington, D.C. – The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) is once again working against the interests of independent U.S. cattle producers, and, is yet again, misrepresenting that it represents more cattle producers than it has members – by claiming to represent 250,000 cattle producers.



In a July 16 memo, NCBA asks Congress to "vote NO on the Johnson amendment in regards to Argentina and Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)…," yet goes on to say "…Like Senator Johnson, NCBA feels that further opening of the beef trade with Argentina will put our industry at risk to FMD, the one disease feared most by cattle producers."



"If this wasn't so serious, it would be a comedy of errors," said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard. "NCBA continues with the mantra 'We need to treat our trading partners the way we ask them to treat us.' Common sense forces one to face the fact that if FMD is introduced into the United States, we won't have any trading partners."



Instead of passing this important legislation, NCBA proposes that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) complete an "updated and thorough risk analysis before they move forward with the rule…" and only after that task is complete and shows Argentine livestock is safe should USDA even consider moving forward.



"There's one huge problem with trusting USDA to do that, and it's that the agency has a history of not properly protecting the U.S. cattle herd and U.S. consumers against the introduction of foreign animal diseases," Bullard pointed out. "USDA's own Inspector General just released a report this week that shows for years USDA has been allowing into the U.S. unauthorized cattle from Canada and Mexico, many of which were never inspected at all, the result being that some unhealthy and diseased cattle made their way into the U.S. cattle herd. That's absolutely unacceptable.



"For years, because of NCBA's and USDA's strong relationships with the multinational packers, the agenda has been to promote free trade at all costs, and to not worry about the prevention of foreign animal disease," he continued. "Instead, these multinational corporations who have considerable influence over NCBA and USDA have cavalierly adopted the attitude of believing they have the ability to manage any animal diseases upon arrival in the United States. FMD devastated the cattle industry in the United Kingdom in 2001. The last time FMD was in the U.S. w as 1929.



"You just don't intentionally invite trouble into your house, and that's exactly what will happen if we don't prevent the introduction of FMD while we have the chance," Bullard asserted. "Congress must pass this legislation or our industry could be unnecessarily exposed to disastrous consequences."



R-CALF USA encourages cattle producers and consumers to immediately call their U.S. Senators and urge them to vote YES on the Foot and Mouth Disease Prevention Act of 2008 introduced by Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., and Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo.



Note: To view NCBA's memo, visit the "Animal Health" link at www.r-calfusa.com, or contact R-CALF USA Communications Coordinator Shae Dodson to request a copy.

 

[PORKER]

20 Arrested at Farmer's Market For Selling Counterfeit Goods

Does this happen with our FOOD and MEAT too?
County Times Newspaper
Posted on June 30, 2008

By Guy Leonard, County Times

HOLLYWOOD, Md. (June 26, 2008) -- Local law enforcement has suspected merchants of dealing in counterfeit goods at the Charlotte Hall Farmers Market and a clothing store in Lexington Park, so for the past two months they have sent in undercover officers to make controlled buys of the items, said the county's top detective, in an effort to prove their case.

Lt. Rick Burris, commander of the St. Mary's County Bureau of Criminal Investigations, said the raids at the two county locations turned up significant quantities of counterfeit items ranging from shirts, jeans and hats to music, movies and handbags.

"We started getting quite a few citizen complaints about counterfeit items being sold there," Burris said of the Charlotte Hall Farmers Market. "We conducted an operation there several years ago."

The operation involved 40 law enforcement officers, Burris said, including BCI detectives, state troopers, patrol officers, law enforcement intelligence operatives, and agents from the motion picture, clothing and recording industries.

"Some items were obvious [counterfeits]," Burris said. "Others weren't so obvious, so we had experts from the industries go in and confirm whether or not they were counterfeit."

The suspected counterfeit items were often sold at a deep discount, Burris said, some at half price.

Ben Burroughs, owner of the farmers market, said he does not inspect merchandise and that all a vendor needs is a traders license and sales tax license to sell goods there.

"If I did [inspect merchandise] I would have the sense to know whether it was right or wrong," Burroughs said. "I don't condone anything illegal done at the market, if we find anyone doing wrong we give them notice to leave and it's a short notice."

Burroughs said he had received complaints about counterfeit items and encouraged customers to report their suspicions to the sheriff's office immediately.

He said there were some arrests after customers complained about six months ago.

"I'm going to tell them all [vendors], 'See what happened? They got locked up,'" Burroughs said as a warning to anyone considering selling fake name brand merchandise.

The items seized came from all over the country, Burris said, sometimes from foreign sources.

Burris added that the undercover officers had been gathering evidence against the 20 vendors who were arrested during the operation, which took place from June 20 to June 21, and he alleged that all knowingly sold the suspected counterfeit merchandise.

The 20 suspects, some of whom came from as far as Brooklyn and Bronx in New York to sell merchandise, were charged with felony counterfeit producing and selling the items.

Police reports state some of the charges range up to 15 years incarceration for suspects if convicted.

About $693,000 worth of suspected counterfeit items were seized, Burris said, along with about $3,800 in cash.

Only one suspect arrested, Maurice X. Queen, of Lexington Park, the owner of the Keep It Real Store on Great Mills Road, was from St. Mary's County.

Other suspects included residents of Waldorf, Clinton, Fort Washington, Laurel, Eldersburg, Bowie, D.C., Alexandria and Burke, Va.

"A place like the farmers market allowed them to set up for a weekend and go back where they came from," Burris said. "It wasn't a store front operation so it wasn't as easy to investigate."

Law enforcement officers seized enough material to prosecute the suspects, Burris said, and the rest was given to the industry agents for storage; rental trucks had to be used to confiscate all the merchandise.

Burris said the financial impact of counterfeit sales ranged in the millions of dollars, the Recording Industry Association of America, he said, claimed that the industry loses $300 million a year because of it.

"We hope this will slow down sales of counterfeit merchandise, if not we'll be back," Burris said.

 

[Anonymous]

July 17, 2008



Common Sense Prevails Over NCBA 'Free Trade' Rhetoric;

Appropriations Committee Approves FMD Bill



Washington, D.C. – Sen. Tim Johnson's bill titled "The Foot and Mouth Disease Prevention Act of 2008" has passed the Appropriations Committee and will now go to the Senate for a floor vote. Since January 2007, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had proposed to allow into the U.S. imports of higher risk cattle and beef products from Argentina, a country that is not considered free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).



"Since March of 2007, R-CALF USA has been actively involved in securing legislation that would prohibit any imports from Argentina because of its recent history of FMD, and we would like to sincerely express our thanks to both Senator Johnson, D-S.D., and Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., who sponsored this bill, and the many co-sponsors who also took the lead on this important matter, as well as the leaders on the House side who are also taking action to prevent the introduction of FMD into the United States," said R-CALF USA President/Region VI Director Max Thornsberry, a Missouri veterinarian who also chairs the group's animal health committee.



Just yesterday, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) – a group that claims to represent cattle producers – urged Congress in a memo to vote in opposition of the FMD prevention measure so that USDA would have sole discretion on Argentine imports.



"USDA has been abusing its discretionary authority by allowing its goal of promoting more imports into the U.S. to trump its primary responsibility to protect the U.S. against the introduction and spread of foreign animal diseases," said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard. "We are genuinely pleased that Congress is stepping forward to ensure that needed disease protections remain in place.


"It is time to restore the United States' reputation of producing the most wholesome and safest beef in the world, and under the best of conditions, which means we must strengthen our import standards, not weaken them," he emphasized. "It is in our nation's interest to do all we can to maintain the security of our food supply, both for our consumers and export customers. If FMD were to hit the U.S. cattle industry, you can rest assured our trading partners would seek their beef supplies somewhere else."


Note: To view NCBA's memo, visit the "Animal Health" link at www.r-calfusa.com, or contact R-CALF USA Communications Coordinator Shae Dodson to request a copy.

 

[COIN]

The vaccine doesn't prevent infection; it only decreases the death losses and shedding of the virus by infected animals. Additionally, vaccination with one virus type does not protect against others (there are 7 virus types and 50 + subtypes).

 

[RobertMac]

http://www.nasda.org/cms/7196/15458/16805/16808.aspx

Seems the only ones that think this would be a good move are the Packers that will import the meat, USDA, and NCBA!

Where are the good producers in NCBA on this???

 

[Kathy]

Something to do with the Brazilians buying Swifts and some feedlots in the USA perhaps?

What is being done to prevent the Level 4 Infectious disease lab at Plumbe Island, from being moved to several separate sites within mainland USA?

The last FMD outbreak in the UK was from a government shared laboratory, with a private vaccine company.