Lobbying

[kato]

Just checked out the R-Calf website. Very disturbing. They are actively lobbying to keep Canadian cattle out.

www.rcalf.com/BSE-FMD/bse_fmd.htm

I hope they recall this on the day the States finds it's first case of BSE. It will eventually find one, as will every country sooner or later.

That's assuming it isn't treated under the triple S protocol.

[pandiana]

What's the triple S protocol? Pardon my ignorance.
I can't help but wonder if another case of BSE is never found in America.

[dalek]

The only way the US will ever have another case of BSE is if it's found by a country in an animal that they've just exported, and even if it's an animal that just got off the truck that brought it from the US the Americans will claim it picked it up after it crossed the border.

[rusty1]

Shoot Shovel Shutup

[Muttley]

Shoot Shovel & Shutup !! What a great piece of advice from our government leaders eh!

[cowman]

Rumor has it there have been three cases in Texas but they were covered up! The same thing with some foot and mouth. Got that little tidbit from a buddy who works for one of the big drug companies. Don't know if it's true or not but I wouldn't doubt it. Too bad we have some honest government lab workers!

[carebear300]

Now just for talks sake what is to say that one of these so called experts made a mistake in the analysis of this mad cow disease. It seems very strange to me that after all this hull-a-bulloo that this the only cow that had the disease, and by the way thank goodness. Why did the case have to be confirmed in England? How so didn't we have the means to positively identify the bacteria in Canada? Somebody in the federal department of agriculture wasn't doing their jobs or the means for positive testing would have been in place in this country. In my opinion just one more example of this time government greed wanting to accept all the money they could garner out of the beef industry without putting very much back in. I still wonder if there isn't a chance that it was all a mistake and after all this for sure nobody would own up to it. Just a fleeting thougt of a dumb old tired farmer.

[kato]

It's funny, our up front and honest attitude got us in this trouble in the first place, but it is also what kept the confidence of our consumers. Imagine if Canadians had thought the beef industry was hiding something, and backed off beef. Those cows would already be in a pit somewhere.

I guess in the long run, even though it hurts at the time, when the day is done, all you really have is your integrity.

[ValueChainFX]

Well, one thing for sure it is not always easy to do whats right but it's always right!

There are tests that can be easily verified. We are looking into a potential test at the moment that could test every animal processed in our new plant!

[cowman]

It's too bad they can't come up with a simple cheap quick test for BSE. Then the Japanese and Americans would have to scramble to come up with another reason to destroy our cattle industry! Was talking to a trucker who hauls lumber to the states. He said the people were very angry about how much extra it cost to build a house due to the tariffs placed on Canadian lumber. I guess the politicians were getting a little worried that they might get booted out so they cut a better deal for Canada! How long until the American people get tired of paying through the nose for hamburger? When they start grumbling watch that border open up! We should be taking out ads in every American newspaper, quoting prices! You know like: Today in Calgary lean hamburger 74 cents, top sirloin $1.99. Maybe we would need to do the conversions for them so it would be lean hamburger 53 cents, top sirloin $1.43! Do you think that might get your average Joe down there a little upset with his government?

[15444]

That sounds like a terrific idea, better then any politician could come up with. But along with the ads we must convince American consumers on a whole that Canadian product is almost or just as good as American.

[ValueChainFX]

I don't think it will take much, most Americans don't even know there is a challenge getting our beef into the US. Many buy Canadian product on a regular basis (although I'm sure they haven't had much lately). Those that are in the know, can figure out that it's more of a trade thing than a science thing!

Opening the boarders will be done at the will of a hand full of people that sit in a room and make the choices based on their own agenda!