Sandhusker
Well-known member
I think there is something to be learned here.....
I have a good college buddy (business and marketing major) that lives in Tampa, Florida. We generally talk every month or so and he called me last night to ask "What's the deal with Canadian and Japanese cattle"? I explained that most countries don't want to have a thing to do with BSE and if you are found to have it, they shut you out. Canada got a case in May, 2003 so we closed the border and now there is a fight regarding opening it back up or not. He asked, "Why do we need their beef in the first place?" I told him that we really didn't. He then asked how BSE was spread and I told him most people thought it came from eating infected feed from byproducts, but that there was a whole lot we didn't know for sure. His next question was, "So if Canada has it, why did Japan close the door on us"? I told him we imported a Canadian cow that was found to have it so, as far as Japan is concerned, we are a BSE country. His next comment was , "Sounds to me like they need to develop a test everybody can use and just figure out what the hell we and Canada has or doesn't have". I told him that there are tests developed that will do exactly that, but the USDA won't let anybody but themselves us it. His reply, "You've got to me kidding me! What the hell are they thinking?" I told him about the Creekstone deal and he asked, "Who is pulling USDA's strings? Something is going on, this just doesn't make any sense. Looks to me like some big shots bought some Japanese ranches - you can bet there's big money throwing their weight around" He asked me if he should be concerned about BSE and I told him "no". He then made a comment that he just might "play it safe" and make sure he only bought US beef. I asked him how he planned on doing that and he replied, "I'll make sure it has the "US" on the label" I then explained to him that the USDA stamp had nothing to do with country of origin. His reply, "Who, other than a rancher or butcher, would know that? What are people supposed to think when they see "USDA" on the package?" He then said, "Looks to me like you need to sic 60 Minutes on the USDA and let people like me know what is going on. I had no idea what was going on, and I'll bet not many of us city people do. There's a whole lot of nonsense happening".
These are the comments of a city person. I would bet they are typical of any other city dweller who does't follow the cattle and beef industries.
I have a good college buddy (business and marketing major) that lives in Tampa, Florida. We generally talk every month or so and he called me last night to ask "What's the deal with Canadian and Japanese cattle"? I explained that most countries don't want to have a thing to do with BSE and if you are found to have it, they shut you out. Canada got a case in May, 2003 so we closed the border and now there is a fight regarding opening it back up or not. He asked, "Why do we need their beef in the first place?" I told him that we really didn't. He then asked how BSE was spread and I told him most people thought it came from eating infected feed from byproducts, but that there was a whole lot we didn't know for sure. His next question was, "So if Canada has it, why did Japan close the door on us"? I told him we imported a Canadian cow that was found to have it so, as far as Japan is concerned, we are a BSE country. His next comment was , "Sounds to me like they need to develop a test everybody can use and just figure out what the hell we and Canada has or doesn't have". I told him that there are tests developed that will do exactly that, but the USDA won't let anybody but themselves us it. His reply, "You've got to me kidding me! What the hell are they thinking?" I told him about the Creekstone deal and he asked, "Who is pulling USDA's strings? Something is going on, this just doesn't make any sense. Looks to me like some big shots bought some Japanese ranches - you can bet there's big money throwing their weight around" He asked me if he should be concerned about BSE and I told him "no". He then made a comment that he just might "play it safe" and make sure he only bought US beef. I asked him how he planned on doing that and he replied, "I'll make sure it has the "US" on the label" I then explained to him that the USDA stamp had nothing to do with country of origin. His reply, "Who, other than a rancher or butcher, would know that? What are people supposed to think when they see "USDA" on the package?" He then said, "Looks to me like you need to sic 60 Minutes on the USDA and let people like me know what is going on. I had no idea what was going on, and I'll bet not many of us city people do. There's a whole lot of nonsense happening".
These are the comments of a city person. I would bet they are typical of any other city dweller who does't follow the cattle and beef industries.