The real article - Who lost Lakeside - XL Foods or the CFIA?

[SheriMonk]

Here is the link:

<a href="http://sherimonk.com/who-lost-
lakeside-xl-foods-or-the-
cfia/"target="blank"
http://sherimonk.com/who-lost-lakeside-
xl-foods-
or-the-cfia/ </a>
(Does that work? Can you just click on
it?)

Hope so. I'm not quite as familiar with
this format as I
am others!

And yes, by all means, please share it.

[per]

<a href="http://sherimonk.com/who-lost-
lakeside-xl-foods-or-the-
cfia/"target="blank">
http://sherimonk.com/who-lost-lakeside-xl-
foods- or-the-cfia/ </a>

Not sure if this will link either but
worth a try.

[SheriMonk]

What about:
www.sherimonk.com/who-lost-lakeside-xl-foods-
or-the-cfia/

Gosh, you wouldn't think this was rocket science,
right?

[kato]

Didn't try the first two. Number three works though. Now I'm off to read the article.

[kato]

WOW! That's the best article I've seen yet.

[grassfarmer]

Well researched and the detailed timelines will be
useful for anyone studying what happened. However
there are a number of things I'd challenge you on
Sheri.

1. The Competition Bureau were rather more
enthusiastic in approving their purchase of Lakeside
than the "reluctant" you used. I query that every level
of the cattle industry was consulted - I think they
forgot to ask actual producers.

2. The extent to which cattle producers were smiling
in 2011 should be put in context of the previous 7 or
so dire years. It would take more than 1 or 2 good
years to rebuild the equity lost in the last decade.

3. I don't like how you minimize the danger of ecoli
0157 maybe brought about by the false information
you have on the worlds deadliest outbreaks - "the two
with meat involved total 5 deaths" not true. Check the
Wishaw, Scotland 1996 outbreak
(http://jmm.sgmjournals.org/content/49/8/677.full.
pdf)
which killed 20 and made 500 ill. I lived through that
as a beef producer there and know that you don't
take risks with this bacteria. There is no way they
could let ecoli 0157 into the foodchain thinking "oh
it'll maybe just make 15 people ill" Governments or
their agencies cannot act retrospectively on these
things they have got to prepare for the worst.

4.Your September 16th entry "...there is no real
reason for the problem. There is no smoking gun.
They had decent protocol.... but it wasn’t always
followed." I'd say the gun was at least smoldering
right there.

5. You are right the company stopping processing
carcasses doesn't make "an iota of sense" so its easy
to blame CFIA for something they did. However it
equally doesn't make an iota of sense XL would lay off
the workers on a Saturday knowing the CFIA report
may come out on the Monday then rehire the 800
workers on the Sunday. One of the two sides (maybe
both) are playing political games here - we are not
yet in the position to know what "the fix" was but one
seemed to occur.

A lot of detail but I'm not sure I agree with your
conclusion. I suspect the truth won't be known until
this situation unwinds in its full entirety.

Oh and FYI and steaks and roasts aren't primals -
primals are bigger pieces than that.

[SheriMonk]

1. I actually was referring to the cattle industry
being reluctant - not the Bureau. Perhaps I need to
re-look at wording there.

2. Honestly, it's a 6,000 word piece. I am taking it
for granted that most people reading it are in the
cow business, and thus, just sort of giving a run-
down of events.

3. Yup - missed that for sure. Deleted that
paragraph, until I can do some more comprehensive
research regarding global outbreaks.

4.The CFIA has never found a conclusive cause - I
see nothing in the material presented that
contradicts their view.

5. I interviewed XL about that matter specifically.
Article due out in Alberta Farmer (should have been
online already, but alas, I don't run the show there.)

Primals - yes - hybrid of what happens when
industry meats retail - should clarify for the non-
beef type that somehow manages to get through to
that far.

[grassfarmer]

Fair enough with the exception of the smoking gun
they never found - what were you looking for? one
knife? maybe the workers whole apron that the guy
was seen taking off and laying on the ground in front
of the urinals while he relieved himself then went
back to work without washing hands or the apron?

Come on it's no mystery ecoli 0157 was in some
cattle, the protective measures to prevent that from
contaminating the beef failed because they were not
following the procedures they were supposed to. XL
was at fault, CFIA too likely because they never
caught it.
Case closed, gun put away on that part of the crisis
anyway. The political/business outfall will likely be
longer lasting.

[HappyFarmer]

That's is one of the best articles I've read in a
while.

[GaryE]

Cudos Sheri on putting all these events in perspective. We finally have some numbers and documentation rather than the chest pounding and rhetorical theatrics of those with political agendas. I'd like to once again put forward a sugestion that I posted on Rick's blog
"There's lots of blame and finger pointing but common to these threads is that XL screwed up and CFIA was asleep on their watch.
XL probably won't/can't reopen Lakeside on their own and we still need slaughter capacity in Canada.
I would suggest that we have an independent audit from a "credible" firm on the requirements/changes needed to re-open the Lakeside facility so that there is public confidence in the product produced by the plant."
I have been critical of XL in the past and still reject the idea of a government bail-out but I will give credit to the Nilssons as very sharp and shrewd businessmen (too shrewd for me as they don't even leave crumbs on the table) but I believe that they probably want/need the plant to re-open as much as anyone in the cattle business. I agree with Sheri that their days may be numbered as re-opening/running XL by themselves but if an independent audit was conducted and findings were favorable about the logistics of timely start-up, there may be a way forward. At this time, the Nilsson Bros may be open to a sale of 51% of the Lakeside packing plant.
I feel that I am on the same page as Sheri when I say that CFIA under its current management is not in a position to conduct this evaluation.
XL has accepted their responsibility but we have not seen anything resembling an apology from CFIA.
Once again Sheri, thanks for all your hard work...you've probably created as many questions as answers...keep us posted

[kato]

What I took away from it was the very scarey scenario that keeps playing out. It started way back when we had that very first BSE cow over 20 years ago, and continues to this day.

First, a bungled job. Then an over reaction. Next, draconian measures that never seem to prevent the next bungled job.

It seems that when there has been a problem, like the BSE or listeria, all kinds of research is done to make sure "it never happens again". Then the research is ignored in favour of increased regulations that don't do anything to make sure that it never happens again. (result.. BSE Class Action)

So, it happens again. And will likely happen again with e coli. And we pay for it, again. It's like now it's the cattle producers are "dying a death from a thousand cold cuts." To quote someone we all know.

That reference to the attitude change after the Americans got involved is another scarey thought. Hate to jump to a conspiracy theory, but it's not easy to resist it.

[rkaiser]

Yes Sheri, another very well reseached and written document. Thanks for putting all the CFIA stuff in perspective. Seems to me that Brian and Lee could be well pleased and use it as part of their political agenda. It's either am American conspiracy or complete incompetance on the part of the CFIA. And the implied threat to the cattleman and the Canadian cattle industry if we don't jump on board and blame the CFIA???? Holy batfish Catwoman!!!!

Sorry Sheri, just my personal opinion.

I will not argue that CFIA is innocent, their track record is not that great when it comes to big picture cattle biz issues. LOL

However, your article may actually push the media event that some say has gotten out of control. Suggesting that Canada has a totally inept inspection agency that is only working well at the Cargill plant because Cargill is a huge multinational player?

If people believe that this is the begining of the end of the beef packing indsutry in Canada, all because of the CFIA, would it not be better for the cattle indsutry to actually let the media keep finding problems with XL and their procedures and let them die a quick death? Tell stories of how the CFIA is working hard to correct their part in this fiasco, how well things are working at Cargill, and instill some confidence in the next beef packing entreprenuer to come to town? And they will come. One way or another.

[RShields]

Best coverage of the situation to date but still a lot of unanswered questions.
Is it possible CFIA is not allowing some workers back on the line due to lack of food safety training?
CFIA seems to favor public crucifixion as their punishment of choice. Demonize them them and leave them hanging for the mob to ridicule.
I've got no love for NB but this is scary. It can happen to anyone that falls under CFIA's jurisdiction.

[gcreekrch]

Thanks again Sheri. I sent this link to our MLA and this was the reply,

The CFIA should be under investigation and the Ministry that put them in place.

[perfecho]

Have not read the article, but will after such kudu’s....just this evening with a number of people dropping in..."XL did this on purpose so as they could get another Gov handout to buy up PFRA pastures that Harper is getting rid of…."
I mock the theory, however there is a small part of me that "wonders"...and that is the problem, we don’t know who is in bed whom, and we (I) no longer trust our governments to do what is best for us.
Our Governments are picking winners and losers, and that part sucks!