Why not play for keeps?

[skcatlman]

If we as cattlemen want to eliminate BSE. I think we should band together, every country that has had a case of BSE ever should have to test every animal slaughtered for human consumption, as well as any cattle having displayed neurological symtoms and all otm cattle, as well as enforce feed ban rules This will help us track what is going on thus eliminating the disease. It will have a secondary benefit of building consumer confidence in our meat products. Everyone has to get over this fear of testing we have to solve this problem and make sure all beef in the world is safe to consume. I don't care what some countries will say we have to fix this now !! It is time to stop playing the blame game and saying one nations beef is safer than another. Some say it isn't cost effective, in my opinion you can't put a value on human life. If it drives up the cost of beef who cares a confident consumer will be willing to pay more for a safe product. There are lots who will have excuses for not doing it ,but what has excuses gotten us so far?

 

[Oldtimer]

The first thing sensible you have said sk--As I put on the other post--If we are going to error we should be erring on the side of safety-- and the last thing we should be doing is weakening our BSE firewalls......

 

[skcatlman]

Test everything - yes or no. simple lets play for all the marbels, every animal otm as of 2004 mass kill and test everything in north america. If it has to be done do it, this will stop the packers from raping the beef industry. It will also stop BSE in it's tracks and if the rules are followed it will provide ammunition to restart world trade in beef again. How could any country close it's border to beef then? BE PART OF THE SOLUTION !!!!

 

[frenchie]

Test everything - yes or no. simple lets play for all the marbels, every animal otm as of 2004 mass kill and test everything in north america.

sure why not..sounds good to me

 

[skcatlman]

Curiously silence. Man has it gotten quiet, seems like the R-calfer's don't want to go there. The one way to ensure what they propose to want- consumer safety, consumer confidence, international acceptance is possible with the mass kill of OTM as of 2004 and test all bovines in north america would accomplish it so why are they silent? What do they really want, as this would solve the problems with BSE, don't they want the problem solved? I guess it is easier for them to complain than take real action?

 

[frenchie]

Curiously silence. Man has it gotten quiet, seems like the R-calfer's don't want to go there. The one way to ensure what they propose to want- consumer safety, consumer confidence, international acceptance is possible with the mass kill of OTM as of 2004 and test all bovines in north america would accomplish it so why are they silent? What do they really want, as this would solve the problems with BSE, don't they want the problem solved? I guess it is easier for them to complain than take real action?

skcatlman you better stop picking on them boys now and blaming them for all your problems

 

[skcatlman]

I am sorry if it appears i am picking on the r-calfers, that is not my intent. All i am doing is saying why don't we play for keeps and fix the problem instead of running around blaming others. Let us be grown ups and solve problems, do what it takes and get rid of this problem then we as cattlemen can get on with normalized world trade. I know it wouldn't be painless, but no pain no gain. I didn't think i blamed r-calf for any of my problems. I just stated that North American cattleman should unite to end this problem once and for all, instead of playing the games we are right now.

 

[skcatlman]

where is everyone ? Man it got quiet on this thread HM and OT where have you gone. I guess you don't want to talk with someone who wants to fix a problem not just complain. I am willing to go extreme on this, why are you guys not?

 

[vs_cattle]

I Agree We Should Band Together And Stop BSE In North America But That My Opinion And Most Other Cattle Ranchers Voices But There Are Others Like The R-Calvers So We Just Have To Sit This One Out For Now

 

[don]

i'm not surprised it went silent. i doubt ten per cent of american ranchers want a real testing program put in place. everybody knows more testing means more positives and the us is largely still in denial about bse. the packers will find another american positive pretty soon if rule two is in danger. american ranchers handed over control before canada did but hillbillies like ot and hm are still pretending they are the big dogs.

 

[Rangenerd]

Blanket testing is not realistic. We can't even get a law passed in California, Nevada, and Oregon, requiring people to test their bulls for trich. How are you going to get a law passed to test 300 million(+ or -) head cattle throughout the nation?
And even if you do, how are you going to implement it? The infrastucture to test that many samples isn't there and would cost way to much to build. Not to mention the cost to the ranchers. I don't know how much it would cost for each test but I am willing to bet it's $30 to $50 per head. I, for one, don't want to spent thousands of dollars testing for something I know I don't have.
However, if there was a way to get certified by the state/feds that you are BSE free so that you can be accepted by outside markets such as Japan, that would be beneficial. I think it could open up markets for ranchers. As a result, some people would be willing to go to the expence and time to have their herds BSE inspected if they could receive a premium cost for their animals.

 

[Oldtimer]

Rangenerd--An approved live animal test for BSE does not yet exist-- altho some are out there and currently being validated for approval (which could take 2-3 years)...

So that would mean the testing would have to be done at slaughter- putting a lot of the expense of the test and facilities needed on the Packers....

That is the reason at this time in the US- I believe that USDA should allow those Packers that want to (Creekstone and some other small companies) to test-- and to market BSE tested beef- which they claim the Asians have offered to purchase from them and pay for the testing...This would help get safe beef into the outside markets....

Canada now is another matter- with its much higher risk for BSE...The only market that Canada now has a chance of shipping Over Twenty Month beef into at any quantity is the US- and my feeling is that all beef from Canadian cattle over 20 months old should be tested or in the minimum labeled that it is Canadian, so the choice can be left to the US consumer if they wish to purchase it.....

And that NO live cattle be traded between BSE positive countries until the disease is eradicated- or until a live test is developed which would allow for testing of seedstock before importing...

That is how the Europeans handled the BSE issue....

 

[skcatlman]

Common guys you do have an indeginous population of BSE positive animals just like canada. According to the OIE and incedence rates per million cattle they published canada should have 1.454 BSE positive animals per year found and in the US 2.49 BSE positives per year should be found. What is going on down there? where are your positives? are you missing them in testing or simply hiding them? In all reality if the US feed ban was up to the canadian standards check out the post it is up here follow the rules and you can eliminate BSE in the BSE like canada is working towards. Test all OTM animals no exceptions for dead on farm,downers, other OTMS test all OTM's in north america period. As if the processors could not recover the cost of testing. And all beef eaten would be safe not just asian exports. Don't you think the US consumer deservers to have the same assurances as asian customers. Why don't you want to protect the US consumer from BSE? No live animals into the US, you really want the packers to set up in other countries like canada. Too bad i would think US citizens would want jobs. What are you going to say when Canadaian producer owned packers start shipping BSE tested beef into the US restaurant market. Don't you think if promoted properly canadian tested beef will take over the restaurant trade? What will the Us consumer then say when sally housewife goes to the shopping market and can't find US BSE tested beef ? You guys are setting it up for canadian beef to take the premium restaurant maktet firsat then the premium supermarket trade, THANKS . Now don't complain. What scares US prducers about testing all OTM's ? maybe some apparant healthys will be positive? Keep shooting eventually your feet will be completely gone. LOL LMAO

 

[Horse Guy]

i'm not surprised it went silent. i doubt ten per cent of american ranchers want a real testing program put in place. everybody knows more testing means more positives and the us is largely still in denial about bse. the packers will find another american positive pretty soon if rule two is in danger. american ranchers handed over control before canada did but hillbillies like ot and hm are still pretending they are the big dogs.

I agree especially with this part { the packers will find another american positive pretty soon if rule two is in danger.}

 

[skcatlman]

As much as some say it won't happen personally i think if the packers have as much control in the US as some say the border will open to OTM cattle.