I don't know exactly what this means -- maybe some of you can help shed some light. Set-back or more reality, flowery speeches aside?!?
Major victory for food safety as USDA agrees to continue ban on most Canadian beef products USDA agrees to extend judge's order maintaining ban on most Canadian beef due to risk of mad cow disease
May 5, 2004
From a press release
BILLINGS, Mont. -- U.S. consumers won a huge victory for food safety today when the U.S. Department of Agriculture agreed without a fight to extend a federal judge's order to prevent the import of certain "high risk" cuts of beef from Canada. Under pressure from Canada and large multi- national meat packing corporations, USDA had sought to circumvent its own rulemaking by quietly allowing shipments of Canadian beef that are at higher risk of carrying Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, than boneless cuts of beef. Instead, USDA agreed to extend a restraining order that had been granted in a suit filed by Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America (R-CALF USA).
"USDA was playing fast and loose with the safety and health of U.S. consumers, and the judge put a stop to it," said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard. "We think the Government's decision not to fight an extension of the judge's order shows that USDA recognized it would have been hard to defend its position in court. We will continue to insist that USDA meet or exceed the minimally accepted international safety standards for protection against mad cow disease."
On April 26, Federal District Judge Richard Cebull granted R-CALF USA's request for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to immediately halt the expansion of beef imports from Canada. The expansion of such imports would have reduced the U.S. standard for protection against mad cow disease to below the minimum standard used around the world.
The Judge's order was based not only on the risks that beef from Canada could pose to U.S. consumers but also on USDA's failure to complete its own rulemaking process on the issue and on the Department's admission that it had allowed imports of beef from Canada in contravention of its own announced policy. According to import data maintained by USDA as well as similar data from the U.S. Department of Commerce USDA allowed the import of as much as 3.5 million pounds of "bone-in" cuts of Canadian beef from September 2003 to February 2004, directly contradicting the policy it had announced in August. The judge's order blocks imports of Canadian bone-in beef, ground beef, as well as, beef tongues, hearts, kidneys, tripe, and lips. These products have a higher risk of carrying mad cow disease than boneless cuts of beef.
"This is a huge victory for food safety for U.S. consumers, and that's what this fight is all about," said Bullard. "The bottom line is that U.S. consumers must be confident that the beef they purchase in their neighborhood grocery store or restaurant is safe from mad cow disease."
No nation in the world, except Barbados, has completely resumed imports of Canadian beef. Nonetheless, USDA has been working on a rule to allow resumption of beef and cattle imports despite the presence of mad cow disease in Canada. The rule is expected to be completed this summer.
"Canada must at least meet internationally accepted science and safety standards before exporting their beef and cattle to the U.S.," Bullard said. "We don't understand why Canada expects, and USDA insists, that U.S. consumers should be subjected to increased health risks by disregarding our current science-based disease prevention standards."
The agreement reached between R-CALF USA and USDA minimizes trade impacts with non-BSE countries by allowing beef products originating in a BSE-free region or from the United States that are processed in Canada to be exported to the United States.
R-CALF USA, the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America, represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on domestic and international trade and marketing issues. R-CALF USA, a national non-profit organization, is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA's membership consists primarily of cow-calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and feedlot owners. Its members -- over 8,000 strong -- are located in 46 states, and the organization has over 55 local and state association affiliates, from both cattle and farm organizations. Various main street businesses are associate members of R-CALF USA. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com
Major victory for food safety as USDA agrees to continue ban on most Canadian beef products USDA agrees to extend judge's order maintaining ban on most Canadian beef due to risk of mad cow disease
May 5, 2004
From a press release
BILLINGS, Mont. -- U.S. consumers won a huge victory for food safety today when the U.S. Department of Agriculture agreed without a fight to extend a federal judge's order to prevent the import of certain "high risk" cuts of beef from Canada. Under pressure from Canada and large multi- national meat packing corporations, USDA had sought to circumvent its own rulemaking by quietly allowing shipments of Canadian beef that are at higher risk of carrying Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, than boneless cuts of beef. Instead, USDA agreed to extend a restraining order that had been granted in a suit filed by Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America (R-CALF USA).
"USDA was playing fast and loose with the safety and health of U.S. consumers, and the judge put a stop to it," said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard. "We think the Government's decision not to fight an extension of the judge's order shows that USDA recognized it would have been hard to defend its position in court. We will continue to insist that USDA meet or exceed the minimally accepted international safety standards for protection against mad cow disease."
On April 26, Federal District Judge Richard Cebull granted R-CALF USA's request for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to immediately halt the expansion of beef imports from Canada. The expansion of such imports would have reduced the U.S. standard for protection against mad cow disease to below the minimum standard used around the world.
The Judge's order was based not only on the risks that beef from Canada could pose to U.S. consumers but also on USDA's failure to complete its own rulemaking process on the issue and on the Department's admission that it had allowed imports of beef from Canada in contravention of its own announced policy. According to import data maintained by USDA as well as similar data from the U.S. Department of Commerce USDA allowed the import of as much as 3.5 million pounds of "bone-in" cuts of Canadian beef from September 2003 to February 2004, directly contradicting the policy it had announced in August. The judge's order blocks imports of Canadian bone-in beef, ground beef, as well as, beef tongues, hearts, kidneys, tripe, and lips. These products have a higher risk of carrying mad cow disease than boneless cuts of beef.
"This is a huge victory for food safety for U.S. consumers, and that's what this fight is all about," said Bullard. "The bottom line is that U.S. consumers must be confident that the beef they purchase in their neighborhood grocery store or restaurant is safe from mad cow disease."
No nation in the world, except Barbados, has completely resumed imports of Canadian beef. Nonetheless, USDA has been working on a rule to allow resumption of beef and cattle imports despite the presence of mad cow disease in Canada. The rule is expected to be completed this summer.
"Canada must at least meet internationally accepted science and safety standards before exporting their beef and cattle to the U.S.," Bullard said. "We don't understand why Canada expects, and USDA insists, that U.S. consumers should be subjected to increased health risks by disregarding our current science-based disease prevention standards."
The agreement reached between R-CALF USA and USDA minimizes trade impacts with non-BSE countries by allowing beef products originating in a BSE-free region or from the United States that are processed in Canada to be exported to the United States.
R-CALF USA, the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America, represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on domestic and international trade and marketing issues. R-CALF USA, a national non-profit organization, is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA's membership consists primarily of cow-calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and feedlot owners. Its members -- over 8,000 strong -- are located in 46 states, and the organization has over 55 local and state association affiliates, from both cattle and farm organizations. Various main street businesses are associate members of R-CALF USA. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com
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