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SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (Feb. 4, 2005) — Formal discussion and hall talk about The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plan to reopen the border to Canadian live cattle and beef came to a head during Friday afternoon’s session at the Cattle Industry Annual Convention in San Antonio. Several proposals addressing Canadian trade came from the floor, but members gave their approval to a directive forged by representatives of Montana, Iowa and California.
The directive would establish criteria that must be met before resuming trade with Canada. Eleven requirements are summarized as follows:
1) Prohibit importation of cattle and beef products from cattle that are more than 30 months of age.
2) Provide assurance that all Canadian BSE-prevention measures are functioning properly, including adherence to the ban on specified feed ingredients.
3) No feeder cattle may be imported until agreement is reached on harmonization of animal health standards — especially regarding blue tongue and anaplasmosis.
4) Movement of Canadian cattle to the United States must be managed to minimize market disruption.
5) Fed cattle must be certified as being younger than 30 months of age at the time of importation.
6) Ban the use of fetal bovine serum from heifers imported for immediate slaughter.
7) USDA Quality and Yield grades may not be applied to any imported beef product.
8) Canadian feeder cattle entering the United States must be identified with a “CAN” hot-iron brand and an ear tag. They must be shipped from the border in sealed trucks and directly to an approved feedlot. They must be moved directly to slaughter in sealed trucks, and be certified as younger than 30 months of age at the time of slaughter.
9) Canadian feeder heifers imported to the United States must be spayed.
10) USDA must work with our primary trading partners to ensure expanded export access for U.S.
11) The administration must reach an agreement to reestablish beef and beef by-product trade with Japan, Korea and Mexico, applying economic sanctions when necessary.
Also approved was a new resolution calling for multilateral negotiation among BSE minimum-risk countries, including Canada, Japan, South Korea and Mexico, to harmonize trade standards. Another new resolution opposes any effort to label beef or beef products as “North American Beef” or use any similar language for the intent of grouping beef from any other country with that produced in the United States.
Members voted to renew a previous resolution opposing the European Union (EU) ban on so-called “hormone beef” produced with growth-promoting products, calling such a ban “protectionist” and contrary to sound science.
— by Troy Smith, field editor, Angus Productions Inc.
© Copyright 2005 Angus Productions Inc.
Editor’s Note: This article was written under contract or by staff of Angus Productions Inc. (API), which claims copyright to this article. It may not be published or distributed without the express permission of Angus Productions Inc. To request reprint permission and guidelines, contact Shauna Rose Hermel, editor, at (816) 383-5270 or shermel@angusjournal.com.
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