• You will need to login or register before you can post a message. If you already have an Agriville account login by clicking the login icon on the top right corner of the page. If you are a new user you will need to Register.

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

BSE Risk Same In Canada as U.S.

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    BSE Risk Same In Canada as U.S.

    It is good to see the testing that Canada has done pay off with this positive assessment of the BSE situation in this country, recognizing the risk of BSE is the same in Canada as in the U.S. This has to be nothing but good news for Canadian cattle producers.

    http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070309/canada_madcow_070309/20070309?hub=Canada

    OTTAWA -- Canada has won recognition from an influential international panel for taking the proper measures to control the risk of mad cow disease.


    A review panel of the World Organization for Animal Health is recommending Canada be among the first small group of countries classed in the "controlled risk'' category for the brain-wasting disease.


    The United States is also known to be among the first group, although the list of recommended countries has not been publicly released.


    The classification is expected to help further open world markets to Canadian beef exports, and should provide scientific weight to Canada's legal arguments against countries that remain closed.


    The world panel made its recommendation last month, triggering a 60-day response period from the 168 member countries in the organization. They will formally decide whether to ratify the recommendation at their annual general session in May.


    Dr. Brian Evans, head of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, said Friday the designation is based on an exhaustive set of criteria that improves on the old international system which ranked a country's risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, from zero to high.


    Canada has had nine cases of mad cow disease but has implemented aggressive monitoring and control measures that are being recognized by the international body.


    "It speaks to Canadians that the international community has respect for the mitigation measures that Canada has not only adopted, but also the degree to which they've been implement and enforced,'' said Evans.


    He said he's not aware of any objections to date to Canada's designation during the response period and expects the classification will help restore beef export markets hurt by Canada's BSE experience.


    "By achieving this designation it allows Canada then to make its case . . . that we have a legitimate opportunity at the international level for those countries to expand trade,'' he said.


    And because the animal-health panel is recognized by the World Trade Organization, Canada can use the classification to launch official trade complaints if countries still refuse to allow Canadian beef imports.


    "It adds significant strength to Canada's (legal) case should it wish to do so,'' said Evans.


    Agricultural Minister Chuck Strahl welcomed the recommendation.


    "Should the preliminary categorization be adopted, it would provide further proof, endorsed by animal health experts, that Canada has taken responsible actions to manage BSE that are internationally recognized,'' he said in a statement.


    The world panel decided in 2005 to adopt new definitions for BSE risk categories.


    The new categories are negligible risk, controlled risk or undetermined risk. Countries such as Australia that have had no cases of mad cow disease -- but can also show strict monitoring measures and stringent feed controls -- will likely fall in the negligible category.


    Canada could move to the negligible risk category no earlier than 2013, under rules that state it must be 11 years since the birth of a country's most recently recorded BSE case.


    No country has yet been recommended for the undetermined risk classification, according to Evans.


    He said the old classification system, which included zero risk, was flawed because no country can realistically prove such a designation, given BSE's long incubation period.


    Countries without any proven cases of BSE but also lacking effective monitoring systems could not get the highest rating under the newly adopted system.

    #2
    This was expected no matter what some people say Canadian measures and testing are working. We are being open to the world and not hiding positives like others. And the rest of the world knows it. So even though we are finding more positives they are expected we are not in denial like others. I am sure OLD willow kreek will say the OIE is wrong. The official word won't come down until May from the OIE. This will help open the gates to the US market under rule 2, so that normalized trade can resume. I am sure there will be lots of hollering about how the OIE rating should not be the same for Canada and the US but that is what has been decided based on facts.

    Comment


      #3
      Normalised trade catlman? What is normalised trade? We need to move product from this continent to become normalisd and not rely on the American consumer to normalise things for us. And this new rating could help us in that very area of offshoe export should anyone have interest in doing so.

      Cargill and Tyson have no interest as it would challenge their North American captive market policy (aided by the Rcalf group and their closed border policy --- had to add that in for you Willowcreek, just in case you pop in to support my stand on the Packers$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$)

      Comment


        #4
        RK- what do you propose be done concerning the major packers ? How do you propose the canadian cattleman wrestle control of the packing industry from the multinational ? I do see more foreign markets opening up but that includes the US. Any way you slice it if the OIE classifies Canada as a contolled it will open up foreign markets. What is your thinking on what is going on in washington state? USDA, FDA and state officials swarming a dairy farm in that state. what would happen if it turns out to be a case of a reportable disease like BSE or FMD? I am waiting to see what happens as goverment officials are being tight lipped but with the magnitude of the response something serious has been going on. Looking forward to your response.

        Comment


          #5
          First off catlman ---- what can we do about the multinationals?

          Well Cam and I have said from day one that we need to gain control of more of our cattle harvest industry. 80% control by two multinationals who WILL NOT custom kill is as far as we can go without going into the abyss.

          Support your local packing plant catlman - in every way that you can. I can't believe that the greed of the members of Ranchers Beef in Calgary are allowing the struggling plant to even struggle more. Why on earth did Cor and Kee invest in the damn plant and then continue to sell to the pirates. Yes they needed to have a better marketing strategy but why on earth would they not work on that rather than pad the pockets of the pirates even more. Amazing this greed thing -

          I will never - never take a twenty dollar bill on any animal just to get a cheque on time. Hang in there with Natural Valley - support Ranchers Beef - Jump on board with the new E.U. plant in Wetaskiwin or support any venture other than Cargill or Tyson. If you are simply selling your calves - ask the buyer who he deals with and drop him like a rock if he is on the grid with Cargill. I know that this is likely too much to ask anyone, but it is the way that I plan to act. In fact - our new proactive approach will be unveiled after our March 17th meeting announcing plans to go to Ireland with Beef. Yes it may be a piss in the ocean, but it is a start. And will be a blueprint for any and all that wish to not only survive but thrive in an environment of freedom and sound capitalist business.

          I don't know about the Washington thing catlman - been to busy for the tabloids lately. How's the Rcalf tabloid going Willowcreek - are you still pissing and moaning about the border? What a joke. Wake up boys, the border issue is only and always about control. Have the ABP boys been wasting more producer money trying to push Rule 2 farmers_son? Like I said to Travis Toews at our fall ABP producer meeting - not one red cent spent in Washington D.C. has made an iota of difference. The border will be opened and closed when Cargill and Tyson decide. Testing for market acccess will happen when Cargill and Tyson decide. And when most ranchers get out of bed to take a shit in the morning will be when Cargill and Tyson decide.

          How's that for a nicey nicey diplomatic answer to your questions catlman. If you don't like my answers, please don't ask again.

          Sincerely
          Randy Kaiser

          Comment


            #6
            Right now i am involved with NVF as well as another operation a group of us bought out an old provincially inspected abbatior, have a staff and sell our cull beef that way. We constantly have people who want to sell us their culls now. You soon realize there are alot of bandwagon jumpers after the hard work has been done they want to buy in. Right now we have a small capacity that is only big enough to support value adding to our own beef. Nobody wants risk but everyone wants reward. At least i am getting off my a$$ and trying, but with the new SRM rules our heating systems seems pretty smart. The business is heated with a huge incinerator we are using slaughter house waste. But one thing you do realize quickly is how tight the margins are in the business.

            Comment


              #7
              My hat's off to you catlman. Cheers

              Comment

              • Reply to this Thread
              • Return to Topic List
              Working...