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R-CALF bought cheap cows in Canada; group's president says it's no 'big deal'
10:13 PM EST Mar 09
BETH GORHAM
WASHINGTON (CP) - Members of R-CALF, the U.S. ranchers' group that sued - on safety grounds - to keep the border closed to Canadian cattle, bought up cheap cows in Canada after the devastating ban, the group's president acknowledged Monday.
"I don't see anything ironic about it," Leo McDonnell said from Columbus, Mont. "I didn't see it as a big deal. "There's a couple of them that have bought and fed cattle up there, three or four at most," a figure disputed by a Canadian feedlot owner who says it's higher.
Three of those U.S. ranchers have been significant contributors to R-CALF's litigation fund, McDonnell said, an endeavour focused squarely on keeping the border shut.
Some in Canada are furious, saying R-CALF members have exploited a crisis they helped to create.
"It's not illegal but their ethics are terrible," said Ontario beef producer John Lunn from Norwood. "I've had enough. I have no use for these guys."
Rick Paskal, a feedlot owner in Lethbridge, Alta., said group members "recognized an opportunity for their own personal economic gain.
"They were absolutely not concerned about food safety."
In a huge setback for Canadian ranchers, a federal judge granted the group's request last week for a delay in resuming the cattle trade.
It was supposed to begin Monday for the first time in nearly two years after some $7 billion Cdn in losses for Canada's industry.
The American protectionist group has opposed reopening the border since it closed in May 2003 after Canada's first case of mad cow.
R-CALF argues that Canadian cattle are dangerous to U.S. herds and humans.
"There's nothing unique about what we're doing," said McDonnell, who noted that members of pro-trade U.S. ranching groups have also bought Canadian cattle.
"I'm not quite sure why we're the bad guys."
The Americans benefited from rock-bottom cattle prices in Canada, said Paskal, adding that he believes more than a dozen R-CALF members picked up Canadian cows, buying as much as 30,000 head of cattle each.
Some of Paskal's auctioned cows were bought by R-CALF member Lloyd DeBruycker, who has complained about "greedy" meat-packers in Canada taking his profits.
Some Canadian processors were refusing last year to slaughter cattle owned by R-CALF members.
A day after the court ruling in favour of R-CALF, U.S. senators voted to reject the U.S. Agriculture Department's plan to reopen the border to cattle, a largely symbolic move but another sign of the intense opposition that's been building.
Many legislators and U.S. ranchers have been much more vocally opposed since the last two mad cow cases were discovered in Canada in January. One cow sparked particular concern because it was born after new feed rules were implemented to halt the spread of the deadly disease.
There are still many in the U.S. industry who support dropping the ban, especially big meat-packing companies that face uncertain future without enough beef to process.
However, on Monday, a federal judge rejected efforts by the American Meat Institute to lift all barriers to Canadian beef shipments.
U.S. officials had agreed to imports of cattle up to 30 months of age, thought to be at lowest risk for contracting mad cow, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
But it could be months before they make a decision on older cattle and beef products from older cows.
© The Canadian Press, 2005
10:13 PM EST Mar 09
BETH GORHAM
WASHINGTON (CP) - Members of R-CALF, the U.S. ranchers' group that sued - on safety grounds - to keep the border closed to Canadian cattle, bought up cheap cows in Canada after the devastating ban, the group's president acknowledged Monday.
"I don't see anything ironic about it," Leo McDonnell said from Columbus, Mont. "I didn't see it as a big deal. "There's a couple of them that have bought and fed cattle up there, three or four at most," a figure disputed by a Canadian feedlot owner who says it's higher.
Three of those U.S. ranchers have been significant contributors to R-CALF's litigation fund, McDonnell said, an endeavour focused squarely on keeping the border shut.
Some in Canada are furious, saying R-CALF members have exploited a crisis they helped to create.
"It's not illegal but their ethics are terrible," said Ontario beef producer John Lunn from Norwood. "I've had enough. I have no use for these guys."
Rick Paskal, a feedlot owner in Lethbridge, Alta., said group members "recognized an opportunity for their own personal economic gain.
"They were absolutely not concerned about food safety."
In a huge setback for Canadian ranchers, a federal judge granted the group's request last week for a delay in resuming the cattle trade.
It was supposed to begin Monday for the first time in nearly two years after some $7 billion Cdn in losses for Canada's industry.
The American protectionist group has opposed reopening the border since it closed in May 2003 after Canada's first case of mad cow.
R-CALF argues that Canadian cattle are dangerous to U.S. herds and humans.
"There's nothing unique about what we're doing," said McDonnell, who noted that members of pro-trade U.S. ranching groups have also bought Canadian cattle.
"I'm not quite sure why we're the bad guys."
The Americans benefited from rock-bottom cattle prices in Canada, said Paskal, adding that he believes more than a dozen R-CALF members picked up Canadian cows, buying as much as 30,000 head of cattle each.
Some of Paskal's auctioned cows were bought by R-CALF member Lloyd DeBruycker, who has complained about "greedy" meat-packers in Canada taking his profits.
Some Canadian processors were refusing last year to slaughter cattle owned by R-CALF members.
A day after the court ruling in favour of R-CALF, U.S. senators voted to reject the U.S. Agriculture Department's plan to reopen the border to cattle, a largely symbolic move but another sign of the intense opposition that's been building.
Many legislators and U.S. ranchers have been much more vocally opposed since the last two mad cow cases were discovered in Canada in January. One cow sparked particular concern because it was born after new feed rules were implemented to halt the spread of the deadly disease.
There are still many in the U.S. industry who support dropping the ban, especially big meat-packing companies that face uncertain future without enough beef to process.
However, on Monday, a federal judge rejected efforts by the American Meat Institute to lift all barriers to Canadian beef shipments.
U.S. officials had agreed to imports of cattle up to 30 months of age, thought to be at lowest risk for contracting mad cow, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
But it could be months before they make a decision on older cattle and beef products from older cows.
© The Canadian Press, 2005
