Oldtimer
Well-known member
U.S. Cattle Producers Disagree with USDA Plans to Allow into the U.S. Older Canadian Cattle, Beef Products
Billings, Mont., Nov 17 - On Wednesday Ron DeHaven, administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), announced the agency plans to revise its bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) restrictions. Under this new proposal, Canadian cattle over 30 months of age would be allowed into the U.S. by mid-2006. R-CALF USA President-Elect Chuck Kiker made the following statement in reaction to this announcement:
"USDA's plan to lift U.S. import restrictions that would allow Canadian over-thirty-month (OTM) cattle into the U.S. by mid-2006 shows the agency is continuing its push to give market access to our competitors before we regain our lost export markets abroad. In addition, DeHaven's comments show USDA is ignoring the increased risk these older Canadian cattle pose to the U.S. cattle herd and to U.S. consumers, which is particularly disconcerting because USDA scientists have determined these older Canadian cattle to be of higher risk.
"R-CALF is concerned with the BSE prevalence rate in Canada (4 cases) in relation to that of the United States (1 case). While we praise USDA for its efforts to reopen our beef export markets, its work toward reopening the Japanese market is concentrated around animals 21 months of age and younger. On the other hand, this latest proposal by USDA will allow into the U.S. foreign cattle 30 months of age and older, and the associated beef products from those animals.
"At some point, all countries that import and export cattle and beef products must reach agreement on the highest standards of rules for global beef trade.
"Any effort by the agency to move ahead with these plans not only will increase the financial risks to U.S. cattle producers, but also potentially expose the U.S. to an increased risk of importing BSE into the United States.
"R-CALF's original case against USDA (filed in January 2005), in our efforts to force the agency to withdraw its Final Rule that allowed into the U.S. younger Canadian cattle, has not yet been resolved. R-CALF is continuing, in federal court, efforts to strengthen our BSE protections, and how our case is resolved will decide whether or not USDA can go forward with a new rule for older cattle. If this case is settled in R-CALF's favor, it obviously would preempt any attempt by USDA to write another rule for older animals.
"R-CALF was granted a preliminary injunction on March 2 that stopped USDA's rule from taking effect on March 7, as the agency had planned, but was overturned on USDA's appeal in July. Canadian cattle younger than 30 months of age began entering the U.S. on July 18.
"We are still drafting a petition for a court hearing on a permanent ban against Canadian slaughter and feeder cattle. All of the scientific arguments that we used to win the preliminary injunction are even stronger against allowing OTM cattle into the U.S., and even USDA scientists have repeatedly made clear the risk of importing older Canadian cattle into the United States.
"It's important that beef consumers understand this proposal by USDA makes it more critical than ever to implement Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling at once so consumers can make informed decisions when choosing between USA Beef or foreign beef products for their families."
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Today 11/18/2005 7:08:00 PM
NCBA Statement On Cattle Trade With Canada
"Yesterday, NCBA 's animal health scientist Dr. Gary Weber joined me in representing U.S. cattlemen at a meeting in Canada to continue pushing for science-based resolution of all animal health issues between the two countries. The meeting included leading officials from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Canadian Cattlemen's Association and USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
"NCBA and its state affiliates have been frustrated by the lack of access to the Canadian market for U.S. feeder and breeding cattle. While progress has been made to open the Canadian border to the movement of feeder cattle year-round, significant barriers still exist to the movement of breeding cattle.
"That said, progress was made at this week's meeting. We expect resolution on Canada's restrictions on bluetongue for all classes of U.S. cattle to end by mid-2006, after completion of an ongoing risk assessment project. On anaplasmosis, NCBA and APHIS made clear at the meeting the United States' expectation is that any risk mitigation measures are science-based and allow for expanded cattle trade into Canada.
"NCBA will not support advancing resumption of trade with Canada on cattle over 30 months until science-based harmonization is achieved on all animal health issues. There has been discussion about such a rule in media reports this week despite the fact that a proposed rule has not been introduced by USDA. As with every rule-making process, there will be an opportunity for comment. When such a proposal is published, NCBA will maintain the need for harmonization to ensure fair trade between the two countries.
"NCBA's commitment to free trade is well-documented, and we speak with great credibility on this issue. Normalization of trade is our goal, but normalization is a two-way street and can only be achieved if trade provisions are equitable.
"NCBA will continue to encourage the USDA to make science-based decisions relative to trade of beef and cattle. NCBA will never favor any change in trade policy that threatens our herd health or the safety of our food supply. We do not feel that Canadian cattle pose any such threat, and it is irresponsible to suggest otherwise. However, Canada's restrictions on U.S. breeding stock and feeder cattle - especially those related to anaplasmosis and bluetongue – have placed undue hardship on America's cattle producers for too long. NCBA will continue to be at the table to fight for equitable trade for U.S. cattlemen.
"Earlier this year, NCBA was instrumental in convincing USDA to limit both live cattle and boxed beef imports from Canada to 30 months of age and younger. Our producer-members adopted this policy based on sound science and in the interest of fair trade."
Billings, Mont., Nov 17 - On Wednesday Ron DeHaven, administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), announced the agency plans to revise its bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) restrictions. Under this new proposal, Canadian cattle over 30 months of age would be allowed into the U.S. by mid-2006. R-CALF USA President-Elect Chuck Kiker made the following statement in reaction to this announcement:
"USDA's plan to lift U.S. import restrictions that would allow Canadian over-thirty-month (OTM) cattle into the U.S. by mid-2006 shows the agency is continuing its push to give market access to our competitors before we regain our lost export markets abroad. In addition, DeHaven's comments show USDA is ignoring the increased risk these older Canadian cattle pose to the U.S. cattle herd and to U.S. consumers, which is particularly disconcerting because USDA scientists have determined these older Canadian cattle to be of higher risk.
"R-CALF is concerned with the BSE prevalence rate in Canada (4 cases) in relation to that of the United States (1 case). While we praise USDA for its efforts to reopen our beef export markets, its work toward reopening the Japanese market is concentrated around animals 21 months of age and younger. On the other hand, this latest proposal by USDA will allow into the U.S. foreign cattle 30 months of age and older, and the associated beef products from those animals.
"At some point, all countries that import and export cattle and beef products must reach agreement on the highest standards of rules for global beef trade.
"Any effort by the agency to move ahead with these plans not only will increase the financial risks to U.S. cattle producers, but also potentially expose the U.S. to an increased risk of importing BSE into the United States.
"R-CALF's original case against USDA (filed in January 2005), in our efforts to force the agency to withdraw its Final Rule that allowed into the U.S. younger Canadian cattle, has not yet been resolved. R-CALF is continuing, in federal court, efforts to strengthen our BSE protections, and how our case is resolved will decide whether or not USDA can go forward with a new rule for older cattle. If this case is settled in R-CALF's favor, it obviously would preempt any attempt by USDA to write another rule for older animals.
"R-CALF was granted a preliminary injunction on March 2 that stopped USDA's rule from taking effect on March 7, as the agency had planned, but was overturned on USDA's appeal in July. Canadian cattle younger than 30 months of age began entering the U.S. on July 18.
"We are still drafting a petition for a court hearing on a permanent ban against Canadian slaughter and feeder cattle. All of the scientific arguments that we used to win the preliminary injunction are even stronger against allowing OTM cattle into the U.S., and even USDA scientists have repeatedly made clear the risk of importing older Canadian cattle into the United States.
"It's important that beef consumers understand this proposal by USDA makes it more critical than ever to implement Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling at once so consumers can make informed decisions when choosing between USA Beef or foreign beef products for their families."
----------------------------------
Today 11/18/2005 7:08:00 PM
NCBA Statement On Cattle Trade With Canada
"Yesterday, NCBA 's animal health scientist Dr. Gary Weber joined me in representing U.S. cattlemen at a meeting in Canada to continue pushing for science-based resolution of all animal health issues between the two countries. The meeting included leading officials from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Canadian Cattlemen's Association and USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
"NCBA and its state affiliates have been frustrated by the lack of access to the Canadian market for U.S. feeder and breeding cattle. While progress has been made to open the Canadian border to the movement of feeder cattle year-round, significant barriers still exist to the movement of breeding cattle.
"That said, progress was made at this week's meeting. We expect resolution on Canada's restrictions on bluetongue for all classes of U.S. cattle to end by mid-2006, after completion of an ongoing risk assessment project. On anaplasmosis, NCBA and APHIS made clear at the meeting the United States' expectation is that any risk mitigation measures are science-based and allow for expanded cattle trade into Canada.
"NCBA will not support advancing resumption of trade with Canada on cattle over 30 months until science-based harmonization is achieved on all animal health issues. There has been discussion about such a rule in media reports this week despite the fact that a proposed rule has not been introduced by USDA. As with every rule-making process, there will be an opportunity for comment. When such a proposal is published, NCBA will maintain the need for harmonization to ensure fair trade between the two countries.
"NCBA's commitment to free trade is well-documented, and we speak with great credibility on this issue. Normalization of trade is our goal, but normalization is a two-way street and can only be achieved if trade provisions are equitable.
"NCBA will continue to encourage the USDA to make science-based decisions relative to trade of beef and cattle. NCBA will never favor any change in trade policy that threatens our herd health or the safety of our food supply. We do not feel that Canadian cattle pose any such threat, and it is irresponsible to suggest otherwise. However, Canada's restrictions on U.S. breeding stock and feeder cattle - especially those related to anaplasmosis and bluetongue – have placed undue hardship on America's cattle producers for too long. NCBA will continue to be at the table to fight for equitable trade for U.S. cattlemen.
"Earlier this year, NCBA was instrumental in convincing USDA to limit both live cattle and boxed beef imports from Canada to 30 months of age and younger. Our producer-members adopted this policy based on sound science and in the interest of fair trade."
