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Wowchuk Reacts to Border Opening for Cattle under 30 Months
2005-02-10
By: D Thomas
The provision for meat from cattle over 30 months of age has been pulled from the live cattle rule. Agriculture Minister Rosann Wowchuk says Canadian and American officials agreed the provision needed to come out because it was causing a lot of concern South of the border. She says she met with the USDA. and they indicated this was becoming such a pressing issue it might derail the process of opening the border to live animals. She says they have decided to move back the date for opening the border to animals over 30 months of age. Wowchuk says it was compromise that made sense from both the Canadian and the American position. She says this is a good step because it means we will not see a delay in opening the border on March 7th. It becomes more positive the border will open because the one contentious issue that was bothering a few states was removed. Wowchuk notes they can now concentrate on dealing with the more contentious issue of older animals. She says our producers want the border open. We have one step to open the border to animals under 30 months of age. She adds the next step will be to develop a scientific approach to opening the border for animals over 30 months of age. The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture has indicated he'll ask officials to expedite a plan to allow imports of older cattle for slaughter, as well as beef products from animals over 30 months of age.
2005-02-10
By: D Thomas
The provision for meat from cattle over 30 months of age has been pulled from the live cattle rule. Agriculture Minister Rosann Wowchuk says Canadian and American officials agreed the provision needed to come out because it was causing a lot of concern South of the border. She says she met with the USDA. and they indicated this was becoming such a pressing issue it might derail the process of opening the border to live animals. She says they have decided to move back the date for opening the border to animals over 30 months of age. Wowchuk says it was compromise that made sense from both the Canadian and the American position. She says this is a good step because it means we will not see a delay in opening the border on March 7th. It becomes more positive the border will open because the one contentious issue that was bothering a few states was removed. Wowchuk notes they can now concentrate on dealing with the more contentious issue of older animals. She says our producers want the border open. We have one step to open the border to animals under 30 months of age. She adds the next step will be to develop a scientific approach to opening the border for animals over 30 months of age. The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture has indicated he'll ask officials to expedite a plan to allow imports of older cattle for slaughter, as well as beef products from animals over 30 months of age.
