Questions from Japan/Answers by USDA

[Mike]

Read carefully. One question addresses the concerns of Japan about Canadian cattle crossing the border into the US.

The answer proves that "ONLY" tonsils and distal ileum are removed from animals UTM. SRM's are not really SRM's folks. Depends on age.
What a whitewash.

http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/p/tp-20050304-71.html

 

[STAFF]

FSIS also requires in-plant sanitation procedures for preventing cross-contamination by SRMs. When an establishment is slaughtering or processing cattle 30 months of age or older and cattle younger than 30 months of age, inspection program personnel verify that the equipment (e.g., saws and knives) is properly cleaned and sanitized between carcasses and parts. Do THEY THROW away the EQUIPMENT ?Didn't know you could sanitize PIRONS.

 

[Mike]

FSIS also requires in-plant sanitation procedures for preventing cross-contamination by SRMs. When an establishment is slaughtering or processing cattle 30 months of age or older and cattle younger than 30 months of age, inspection program personnel verify that the equipment (e.g., saws and knives) is properly cleaned and sanitized between carcasses and parts. Do THEY THROW away the EQUIPMENT ?Didn't know you could sanitize PIRONS.

I think? an acid solution is used to wash the equipment. They do throw away surgical instruments after use in humans with the disease.

 

[Sandhusker]

Read carefully. One question addresses the concerns of Japan about Canadian cattle crossing the border into the US.

The answer proves that "ONLY" tonsils and distal ileum are removed from animals UTM. SRM's are not really SRM's folks. Depends on age.
What a whitewash.

http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/p/tp-20050304-71.html

The next obvious question is; Are the discrepancies intentional or not? :?

 

[PORKER]

THE animal BSE age issue is not a Human health issue and not sound science as a BSE western test is sound science and most all beef is for human consumption.

 

[Tam]

Read carefully. One question addresses the concerns of Japan about Canadian cattle crossing the border into the US.

Well if I were Japan I guess I would ask too. As it looks as if the US trust our slaughter plants to process safe meat but it doesn't look as if they trust their own plants to process the same animals into safe meat. Japan is talking to Canada too about making a deal. So are we doing something to our cattle at processing that the US and the Japanese trust, that the US isn't?
Could these have something to do with why Japan trusts Canada enough to make a deal but show concern about our animals entering the US slaughter system.

Q4. Are all SRMs properly removed? What is the procedure? How is SRM-removal and prevention of cross-contamination ensured?

Q8. Please provide an update on the investigation into the recent labor union allegation of problems with the implementation/compliance of the SRM regulation.

Did you notice they also asked APHIS

Q3. Do you think you will find more cases of BSE?

APHIS answered

A3. USDA has tested more than 200,000 animals since June 1, 2004, and has not found a positive animal yet. There has been only one case of BSE in the United States and it was found in a non-native animal. The enhanced surveillance program still has several months to run and, while none have shown up yet, it is possible that USDA could find an additional case.

If there is only an addition case in all the millions of Canadian cattle that were imported in the last decade , and all the US cattle that ate imported feed in the last decade, I guess Canada's problem isn't as big as some would have us believe now is it.

 

[Tam]

FSIS also requires in-plant sanitation procedures for preventing cross-contamination by SRMs. When an establishment is slaughtering or processing cattle 30 months of age or older and cattle younger than 30 months of age, inspection program personnel verify that the equipment (e.g., saws and knives) is properly cleaned and sanitized between carcasses and parts. Do THEY THROW away the EQUIPMENT ?Didn't know you could sanitize PIRONS.[/quote}

The UDSA told Canada we couldn't even use the same plant to process OTM and UTM cattle, we had to segregate plants. Which was the main reason our cull cattle prices tank as bad as they did. We went from a system with some competition for the cattle to a one family owned plant in charge of slaughtering all cull cattle. Talk about a capitive supply. They could pay what ever they felt like because they were the only market in Canada. :evil:

 

[Bill]

FSIS also requires in-plant sanitation procedures for preventing cross-contamination by SRMs. When an establishment is slaughtering or processing cattle 30 months of age or older and cattle younger than 30 months of age, inspection program personnel verify that the equipment (e.g., saws and knives) is properly cleaned and sanitized between carcasses and parts. Do THEY THROW away the EQUIPMENT ?Didn't know you could sanitize PIRONS.[/quote}

The UDSA told Canada we couldn't even use the same plant to process OTM and UTM cattle, we had to segregate plants. Which was the main reason our cull cattle prices tank as bad as they did. We went from a system with some competition for the cattle to a one family owned plant in charge of slaughtering all cull cattle. Talk about a capitive supply. They could pay what ever they felt like because they were the only market in Canada. :evil:

American and Canadian plants are definitely not using the same rules.
As you pointed out Canadian OTM and UTM animals can not even be killed on the same line and haven't been since '03. compared to Canadian.