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Washington Cattlemen's Association responds to USDA

HAY MAKER

Well-known member
Washington Cattlemen's Association responds to USDA

Ellensburg - Washington Cattlemen's Association response to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) PROPOSAL TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL IMPORTS FROM BSE MINIMAL-RISK COUNTRIES

The Washington Cattlemen's Association believes that the statements made by USDA representative Dr. John Clifford regarding the PROPOSAL TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL IMPORTS FROM BSE MINIMAL-RISK COUNTRIES were inappropriate and demonstrated the USDA’s total lack of understanding regarding the potential impacts of this decision to the economic livelihoods of US cattlemen.

The WCA has several concerns about the USDA’s draft rule to allow Over Thirty Month (OTM) of age live cattle and beef products to be imported into the United States.

The WCA believes that the USDA must clearly demonstrate how they intend to track imported Canadian beef and beef products that are over thirty months of age. The USDA must also contact all of the United States (US) beef industry export trading countries and get assurances from them that implementation of this rule will not impair the US beef industry from regaining full unrestricted access into their markets.

The WCA has concerns in the following areas:
1.
How will the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the USDA accurately determine the age of imported beef and beef products? The Canadian national cattle ID program didn’t become mandatory until 2002; it is still not mandatory to enter birthdate information into the database.
Therefore, how can age be verified? The WCA is also concerned about the accuracy of dentition in older cattle since accuracy tends to drop off after four years of age.
2. What system is the USDA planning to use to trace these beef products?
3. The WCA believes it is unacceptable to allow OTM beef and beef products to be imported from Canada into the USA without any age requirements or restrictions.

The WCA strongly recommends that the USDA immediately implement Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) to allow consumers the ability to determine the origin of their food. Without full and immediate implementation of Mandatory COOL the WCA will not support any form of the USDA’s rule that allows for Canadian OTM live cattle, beef, and beef products to be imported.

Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling MT 2004-1

WHEREAS, the WCA believes consumers should know where the beef they purchase was born, raised and processed; and

WHEREAS, efforts are underway to prevent Country-of-Origin Labeling from becoming mandatory; and

WHEREAS, Country-of-Origin Labeling will provide needed information to the consumers of beef, as well as help American beef producers market their product,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Washington Cattlemen's Association supports mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling when USDA-AMS addresses the following concerns:

1. USDA puts in rule that a signed affidavit satisfies the requirement for verification of origin.
2. Poultry is a covered product, and
3. All points of sale are covered under the rule.

The WCA insists that the USDA require the PERMANENT MARK of the “CAN” hot iron brand and a low frequency ISO compliant Radio Frequency Tag (RFID) be placed in the left ear of every live animal that is not being sent directly to slaughter.

The WCA also insists the CFIA and the USDA provide to the State Veterinarian in the state that is receiving imported Canadian cattle all animal health and identification documentation prior to importation.

The WCA strongly recommends that the USDA grant each State Veterinarian and Director of Agriculture complete authority to ensure that every animal health and animal identification regulation is followed. In the event that a State Veterinarian or Director of Agriculture finds an issue of noncompliance, the USDA will COMPLETELY support the actions of the State officials as they take enforcement measures. The USDA must have strict penalties in place that will act as a strong deterrent to violating this rule. The USDA must bring criminal charges against anyone that violates the rules. The WCA believes that in the event of non-compliance the entire shipment of live animals must be returned to Canada immediately. Importers and exporters that are found to be in violation of the rule must permanently lose their licenses and pay substantial fiscal penalties. Such fines will be paid to the animal health department of the state where the violations occurred.

The WCA believes that Canadian cattle must meet all of Washington State’s animal health requirements. The WCA also believes that importers must report all animal movements to the Washington State Department of Agriculture prior to importation to or through Washington State.

The WCA believes that March 1, 1999 is an unacceptable birth date for Canadian cattle eligible for importation. IF OTM Cattle are allowed to be imported; the WCA strongly recommends the use of the following age model:

• March 13, 2007 – allow import of 30-month or younger live cattle (which includes breeding cattle).
Following a 24-month probationary period the age can be raised by 12 months
• March 13, 2009 – allow 42-month old live cattle, beef cattle and beef products (which includes breeding cattle).
Following a 24-month probationary period the age can be raised by 12 months
• March 13, 2011 – allow import of 54-month and younger live cattle, beef cattle and beef products (which includes breeding cattle).
Following a 24-month probationary period the age can be raised to 5 years
After 6 years of importing live cattle over thirty months of age without any animal health or food safety issues, the USDA may then allow all cattle born on or after March 13, 2007 to be imported into the U.S..

WCA President, Jim Sizemore- “It appears that the USDA is trying to lead by example (i.e. the other countries of the world) by issuing this rule, but this rule doesn’t impact the USDA’s bottom line, like it does mine”.
 

HAY MAKER

Well-known member
Damn, just when I was believing in the SUPER SONIC CANUCKLEHEAD ID'er,I find out it really dont track aged cattle :???: :???: :cry: :cry: ........................good luck
 

Big Muddy rancher

Well-known member
Haymaker they don't have to determine the age of the BEEF. Just the live cattle. If that cann't be determined then it doesn't go south. Was that to hard for you to figure out?
It allows for purebred stock that has tattoos and registration papers and when our age verified cattle need to be culled that should allow them. My second calvers are age verified with RFID tags.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Big Muddy rancher said:
Haymaker they don't have to determine the age of the BEEF. Just the live cattle. If that cann't be determined then it doesn't go south. Was that to hard for you to figure out?
It allows for purebred stock that has tattoos and registration papers and when our age verified cattle need to be culled that should allow them. My second calvers are age verified with RFID tags.

How do we know you didn't lie on the age-- stick it in an older cow and say it was born last year?....What government official tagged it and verified it was tagged when it calved? Don't you just add the birthdates to the tag data by an affidavit?.....

You want us to go on a foreigners say-so on verification-- when some on this board say that an affidavit from a US citizen rancher (that is prosecutable in the US) isn't adequate to establish origin/age?

HYPOCRISY
 

Bill

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
Big Muddy rancher said:
Haymaker they don't have to determine the age of the BEEF. Just the live cattle. If that cann't be determined then it doesn't go south. Was that to hard for you to figure out?
It allows for purebred stock that has tattoos and registration papers and when our age verified cattle need to be culled that should allow them. My second calvers are age verified with RFID tags.

How do we know you didn't lie on the age-- stick it in an older cow and say it was born last year?....What government official tagged it and verified it was tagged when it calved? Don't you just add the birthdates to the tag data by an affidavit?.....

You want us to go on a foreigners say-so on verification-- when some on this board say that an affidavit from a US citizen rancher (that is prosecutable in the US) isn't adequate to establish origin/age?

HYPOCRISY

Seeing it was you who once again questioned the credibility of Canadians Oddtimer.........then SURE let's go there.

Who do you think the majority of the world (including Americans) trust more Canadians or Americans. :lol: :lol: :lol: Or are you know going to flip flop and stammer in your usual stupor that all your comments about your own packers, gov't and it agencies were wrong?

Which way is the wind blowing today Oldtimer?
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Bill-- ~SH~, NCBA, and some political folks in USDA claim that the word of and signed affidavits from US ranchers are not adequate to prove country of origin--Then why should these folks take the word of an an affidavit verification of the date of birth on a quarantined Canadian cow that wants to gain entry...Even registration papers only use a signed affidavit from the producer as to the info about the animal- birthdate, birthweight, weaning weight, etc. etc....

USDA can't be promoting and setting up two differing standards- especially when they are taking the word of foreign citizens that can't even be prosecuted under our law.....

Its flat HYPOCRISY- and AMI and Packer backing all the way......
 

cowsense

Well-known member
OT- You are a prize piece of work; You'll do anything possible to discredit the Canadian industry. I would like you to stand face to face with any Canadian producer and state some of your garbage about lack of integrity in our industry! I can guarantee the outcome :!: For your information CCIA's age verification is auditable by CFIA to protect the integrity of our system. Our system works; and it's been proven time and time again that yours is so flawed it is almost useless for traceback!
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
cowsense said:
For your information CCIA's age verification is auditable by CFIA to protect the integrity of our system. Our system works; and it's been proven time and time again that yours is so flawed it is almost useless for traceback!

And what do they audit? Your paperwork, right.....

cowsense---I'm not saying Canadian rancher/cattlemen aren't as credible and as honest or dishonest as US rancher/cattlemen-- what I'm trying to point out is its hypocritical to say that we should allow affidavit verification from Canadians and allow the Canadian government to decide the criteria needed-- when at the same time so many including the politicians of USDA say that these same type affidavits cannot be used to track country of origin and be used for M-COOL.....

Somewhere along the chain you have to start with an affidavit and the producers word as verification....

It just shows that it isn't the affidavit system that is at fault- its USDA/NCBA's loyalties and how much they have been influenced by the Packer corporates....
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
OT's post is not to bash Canadians or question their honesty, he's just pointing out a double standard by our resident NCBA/USDA sheep here. They (one in particular) say a signed affidavit by a US producer is not valid proof - but they don't question what amounts to the exact same thing by a Canadian. He raises a very valid point The question is why can a Canadian's signature be trusted but an American's not?
 

HAY MAKER

Well-known member
cowsense said:
OT- You are a prize piece of work; You'll do anything possible to discredit the Canadian industry. I would like you to stand face to face with any Canadian producer and state some of your garbage about lack of integrity in our industry! I can guarantee the outcome :!: For your information CCIA's age verification is auditable by CFIA to protect the integrity of our system. Our system works; and it's been proven time and time again that yours is so flawed it is almost useless for traceback!

Slow down on the cheap threats cowsense,if there was a meeting like you described the outcome may be a whole lot differnt that you think.
OT is stateing facts..............if you cant stand the heat,stay outa the kitchen..............good luck
 

Manitoba_Rancher

Well-known member
Yup cowsense I would pay darn near anything to see OT go face to face with one of the Canadian producers and let OT spill his garbles that he posts on here. I think would be safe to say he d likely get his butt kicked back to Montana. Specially if he had his R-calf badge on..... :lol: :lol: :lol:
 

don

Well-known member
i think the best is to let ot and the gang keep on posting. they do more to discredit themselves and their organization than anybody else ever could! course it's kind of fun to point out the real outrageous contradictions.
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
don said:
i think the best is to let ot and the gang keep on posting. they do more to discredit themselves and their organization than anybody else ever could! course it's kind of fun to point out the real outrageous contradictions.

Don, does your capital button work?
 

PORKER

Well-known member
I would say that this whole arguement could be solved with both Countrys using ScoringAg's International database. Canada could upload data and all packers ,regulators, and consumers could check if data was true and accurate as USDA could download data. Gosh even the COOL law could be enforced. I think this is such a good idee that Senator Shuemer and friends need updated.
 

Bill

Well-known member
mwj said:
Bill said:
don said:
what capital button and it's don

:lol: :lol: :lol: :clap:

Now that's funny!

Do not be making fun or the other 2 hall monitors will be along to chastise you :lol: You have heard that bad things sometimes come in three's.

Yep the attack of the R-Klowns!!!!!!!!

Or is it Larry, Moe and Curly?

Or maybe Larry, his brother Darryl and his other brother Daryl?

:lol: :lol: :lol: 8)
 
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