From a DTN Story
John Clifford, chief veterinarian with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, told members of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association working group for Canada-U.S. trade that Swift had actually imported the cattle and then they were improperly co-mingled with U.S. cattle in the pens at the packing plant. Clifford said USDA officials had the health certificates from Canada and the ear tags showing the animals were properly imported.
The slaughter cattle were delivered Nov. 28 to the packing plant and processed Nov. 29. That same day was when the South Dakota cattle feeder also had his cattle delivered to Swift. Earlier this week, Swift acknowledged the mistake and paid the producer for his cattle.
USDA "was satisfied those tags were from cattle legally exported from Canada to the packing plant," said John Masswohl of the Canadian Cattlemens' Association.
John Clifford, chief veterinarian with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, told members of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association working group for Canada-U.S. trade that Swift had actually imported the cattle and then they were improperly co-mingled with U.S. cattle in the pens at the packing plant. Clifford said USDA officials had the health certificates from Canada and the ear tags showing the animals were properly imported.
The slaughter cattle were delivered Nov. 28 to the packing plant and processed Nov. 29. That same day was when the South Dakota cattle feeder also had his cattle delivered to Swift. Earlier this week, Swift acknowledged the mistake and paid the producer for his cattle.
USDA "was satisfied those tags were from cattle legally exported from Canada to the packing plant," said John Masswohl of the Canadian Cattlemens' Association.
