Meatingplace.com: Canadian Agriculture Ministers Strategize For Worst-Case Scenario Average reader rating: 0
Today 7/7/2005 9:12:00 AM
Meatingplace.com: Canadian Agriculture Ministers Strategize For Worst-Case Scenario
by Pete Hisey on 7/7/2005 for Meatingplace.com
Agriculture ministers from Canadian provinces met yesterday to examine contingency plans if USDA loses both its appeal and its case involving the closure of the Canadian border and a worst-case scenario in which the court extends the closure to include boxed boneless beef, which is still moving across the border. The appeal will be heard next week in Seattle, and the trial involving USDA and Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America will take place on July 27 in Billings, Mont.
In the event boxed beef is banned, according to the plan, Canada will shift its slaughter activities to cattle under 30 months of age, and divert older cattle to rendering plants. Once the rendering plants are at capacity, older cattle will be sent for disposal.
The plan was developed in June by cattle industry players, including the Canada Beef Export Federation and rancher groups. According to The Canadian Press, CBEF President Ted Haney said that Canada would somehow have to absorb the 30,000 tons of boxed beef it exports to the U.S. each month, and stands to lose most if not all of its estimated $135 million (Canadian) value each month.
Haney said that the disposal plan is a temporary solution until other outlets for beef from older cattle can be found.
Meanwhile, the American Meat Institute warned that if the court decisions go against USDA, several major packing plants could close, idling thousands of workers. AMI estimates that the industry has already lost 8,000 jobs, most of them permanently as slaughter capacity has built up in Canada.
Today 7/7/2005 9:12:00 AM
Meatingplace.com: Canadian Agriculture Ministers Strategize For Worst-Case Scenario
by Pete Hisey on 7/7/2005 for Meatingplace.com
Agriculture ministers from Canadian provinces met yesterday to examine contingency plans if USDA loses both its appeal and its case involving the closure of the Canadian border and a worst-case scenario in which the court extends the closure to include boxed boneless beef, which is still moving across the border. The appeal will be heard next week in Seattle, and the trial involving USDA and Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America will take place on July 27 in Billings, Mont.
In the event boxed beef is banned, according to the plan, Canada will shift its slaughter activities to cattle under 30 months of age, and divert older cattle to rendering plants. Once the rendering plants are at capacity, older cattle will be sent for disposal.
The plan was developed in June by cattle industry players, including the Canada Beef Export Federation and rancher groups. According to The Canadian Press, CBEF President Ted Haney said that Canada would somehow have to absorb the 30,000 tons of boxed beef it exports to the U.S. each month, and stands to lose most if not all of its estimated $135 million (Canadian) value each month.
Haney said that the disposal plan is a temporary solution until other outlets for beef from older cattle can be found.
Meanwhile, the American Meat Institute warned that if the court decisions go against USDA, several major packing plants could close, idling thousands of workers. AMI estimates that the industry has already lost 8,000 jobs, most of them permanently as slaughter capacity has built up in Canada.
