Oldtimer
Well-known member
This is an excerpt from a 4/11/06 Rapid City Journal article....R-CALF has long opposed the opening of the Canadian border because of the BSE safety, herd health, and fair trade issue...Now it appears the NCBA has jumped on the bandwagon concerning the fair trade issue....
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the South Dakota Cattlemen's Association have favored reopening the border to younger Canadian cattle and beef. They say Canada's beef ban and other safeguards, which are similar to those in the U.S., are adequate to prevent the spread of BSE and to assure the safety of beef for consumers.
However, NCBA opposes allowing the importation of older Canadian cattle and beef from the older cattle, although for different reasons.
NCBA spokesman Joe Schuele said Canada is making it difficult for U.S. producers to ship breeding animals to that country because of animal-health rules that are no longer necessary.
"Our concern is more about getting fair trade both ways," Schuele said. "If we open the border to older cattle, we don't have a lot of bargaining position left."
South Dakota Cattlemen's Association executive director Jodie Hickman agreed, saying SDCA wouldn't support the older-than-30-month rule until trade is "harmonized" on all issues between the two countries.
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the South Dakota Cattlemen's Association have favored reopening the border to younger Canadian cattle and beef. They say Canada's beef ban and other safeguards, which are similar to those in the U.S., are adequate to prevent the spread of BSE and to assure the safety of beef for consumers.
However, NCBA opposes allowing the importation of older Canadian cattle and beef from the older cattle, although for different reasons.
NCBA spokesman Joe Schuele said Canada is making it difficult for U.S. producers to ship breeding animals to that country because of animal-health rules that are no longer necessary.
"Our concern is more about getting fair trade both ways," Schuele said. "If we open the border to older cattle, we don't have a lot of bargaining position left."
South Dakota Cattlemen's Association executive director Jodie Hickman agreed, saying SDCA wouldn't support the older-than-30-month rule until trade is "harmonized" on all issues between the two countries.
