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R-CALF Responds to POST feedban Alberta bull

A

Anonymous

Guest
February 9, 2007 Phone: 406-672-8969; e-mail: [email protected]



Latest Alberta BSE Case Leaves Little Doubt: Canada Has a Problem

Billings, Mont. – On Wednesday, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced yet another case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) discovered in a “mature bull” in Alberta.



“Although Canadian headlines tend to say this is Canada’s ninth case of BSE, it is important to note that this latest incident is actually the 10th case of BSE in native Canadian cattle, because the BSE-positive cow discovered in Washington state in December 2003 was imported into the U.S. from Canada,” noted R-CALF USA Vice President and Region VI Director Max Thornsberry. “In addition to the 10 native Canadian cases, in December 1993, BSE was discovered in a cow imported into Canada from England.


Thornsberry also is a veterinarian and chairs R-CALF USA’s Animal Health Committee.



“This demonstrates just how ridiculous and premature it is for our government to be considering even further relaxations of our import standards that would allow into the U.S. imports of Canadian cattle older than 30 months (OTM) of age, as well as the government’s intention to allow into the U.S. beef products from Canadian cattle of any age,” Thornsberry continued. “OTM cattle in a BSE-affected country bear an inherently higher risk for the disease, so R-CALF calls for the immediate withdrawal of this proposed rule.

“Furthermore, in light of the clear ongoing problem with BSE in Canada, we question whether Canada meets the regulatory requirements of a so-called ‘BSE Minimal Risk Region’ under the regulations issued by USDA in January 2005 regarding imports of cattle and beef from countries affected by this disease,” Thornsberry emphasized.



R-CALF USA currently has an appeal before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in litigation filed by cattle producers in January 2005, which challenges the regulations issued by USDA as arbitrary and capricious, and not based on what scientists actually know about BSE. If R-CALF USA is successful in court with this challenge against USDA, the agency will be forced to address the problem of BSE in Canadian cattle and reduce the chance of spreading the disease in the United States.



“Canada is still not doing sufficient BSE testing to ascertain the magnitude of its problem with this disease,” added R-CALF USA Region II Director Randy Stevenson, who also co-chairs the R-CALF USA Marketing Committee. “Because we don’t already have COOL (country-of-origin labeling), and because we are currently commingling Canadian cattle and beef with U.S. cattle and beef, this case will further complicate U.S. efforts to restore beef export markets lost since 2003.”

“Additionally, Canada has not yet implemented improvements to its 1997 feed ban, which were announced in July 2006, despite the obvious and increasing evidence of the widespread exposure of Canadian cattle to this disease,” said R-CALF USA Region VII Director Eric Nelson. “Canada has had four known cases of BSE born after the 1997 implementation of its original feed ban, three of which were known to have been born years later.”



# # #



R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) is a national, non-profit organization and is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on both domestic and international trade and marketing issues. Members are located across 47 states and are primarily cow/calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and/or feedlot owners. R-CALF USA has more than 60 affiliate organizations and various main-street businesses are associate members. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or, call 406-252-2516.
 

Manitoba_Rancher

Well-known member
OT, see you have provided some more bathroom material, and not for reading either. If you have a problem with Canada why dont you just come and out say it OT, instead of beating around the bush. Im really getting sick of you and your group talking about our so called dieseased cattle. You are really lowering yourself to a level where you will be disrespected if you keep it up.
 

S.S.A.P.

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
“OTM cattle in a BSE-affected country bear an inherently higher risk for the disease, so R-CALF calls for the immediate withdrawal of this proposed rule..

OTM cattle... Alabama cow; 10 years old ~ Texas cow; 12 years old ...
in a BSE-affected country .... United States of America ....
bear an inherently higher risk for the disease,

I have finally figured out what OTM means to members of the r-calf organization ....
OTM: "other than mine"
---------------------------------

The Alabama cow, 10 years old was detected after testing a total of 14,868 (10 yr olds/02.02%) in a seven year period ending March 2006.
The odds of finding that 12 year old Texas cow were even greater as only 5,514 (12 year olds/00.75%) were tested in the same 1999 - 2006 period.

Of the 735,213 total tested from March 1999 to March 2006 only 28.79% were 6 years old and over!!
Data available from the: An Estimate of the Prevalence of BSE in the United States, Prepared by Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, National Surveillance Unit, April 27, 2006.

---------------------------------------------------------
BSE Ongoing Surveillance Program Cumulative Total
From Sep 1, 2006 to Dec 31, 2006:
US - 8,572
(Canada - 17,963 )

Month - Tests US :: (tested in Canada)
Dec 2006 - 2,477 :: (5769)
Nov 2006 - 2,235 :: (5563)
Oct 2006 - 2,068 :: (3243)
Sep 2006 - 1,792 :: (3388)

Canada - IS - testing over twice as many from a herd that is one seventh the size of the US.
 

TimH

Well-known member
Manitoba_Rancher said:
OT, see you have provided some more bathroom material, and not for reading either. If you have a problem with Canada why dont you just come and out say it OT, instead of beating around the bush. Im really getting sick of you and your group talking about our so called dieseased cattle. You are really lowering yourself to a level where you will be disrespected if you keep it up.

M_R, They are saying the same things about "born, raised and slaughtered in theUSA beef" as well......as seen here....

http://www.ranchers.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16606&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=60
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Manitoba_Rancher said:
OT, see you have provided some more bathroom material, and not for reading either. If you have a problem with Canada why dont you just come and out say it OT, instead of beating around the bush. Im really getting sick of you and your group talking about our so called dieseased cattle. You are really lowering yourself to a level where you will be disrespected if you keep it up.

The USDA started it. 10 years ago, they said science dictated that importing from BSE positive countries would put US consumers and US cattlemen in harms way. Now if that rule protected us, doesn't it stand to reason that abandoning it puts us at risk? What the heck are we supposed to do? Just stand there and nod our heads yes?

Come on, guys, look at how critical you Canadians have been about the USDA on their testing. How many posts have there been about not testing the right ones, not testing enough, covering up cases, etc.... You folks don't trust them, but we're out of line if we don't, either? That doesn't cut it, folks. Look at what they've done with the Creekstone deal, how they handled the Japanese, the date they put on your feed ban being effective, the questions surrounding Van Dyke, etc... The list of shady workings is a mile long! Should we go into Espy and Tyson? Then here they completely reverse a rule that is supposed to protect us - and you can't honestly say the rule wasn't changed for Canada - and R-CALF is out of line and protectionist for hollering "Whoa"? No, no, I'm not going let that one go by.
 

Econ101

Well-known member
I think most cattlemen haven't come to the realization that our government is so bought off and they need to do something about it or get run over.

Some of them think they don't have anything they can do and it is a lost cause.

Some of them are trying to take action.

I think the Canadian issues with Canadian producers can be ironed out, but not the way the USDA is doing it. They are just rollovers for the big multinationals who are paying the men who hold the puppet strings.

To think we could show Iraqis how to govern themselves as a democracy when we can't run one at home is really delusional.
 
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