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Senate Wants M-COOL Before Border Opens on OTMs

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    Senate Wants M-COOL Before Border Opens on OTMs

    May 3, 2007

    Cattlemen Support Legislation to Implement COOL
    Before USDA Continues with OTM Rule

    Washington, D.C. - U.S. cattle producers were pleased to learn that just this afternoon Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., introduced legislation that would prohibit the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from allowing the importation of Canadian cattle that are over 30 months (OTM) of age, and beef derived from Canadian cattle over 30 months of age until country-of-origin labeling (COOL) is implemented.

    Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D. and Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., are co-sponsors of the legislation. R-CALF USA encourages other members of the Senate to co-sponsor the bill, and hopes that similar legislation will be brought forward from the U.S. House of Representatives.

    "COOL has been a law on the books since the passage of the 2002 Farm Bill, and we're grateful that Congress is taking the lead to prevent higher-risk Canadian cattle and beef from entering the U.S. without at least giving consumers information about where the cattle and beef originated," said R-CALF USA COOL Committee Chair Mike Schultz. "Consumers have made it very clear they want to know where there food comes from. It's just unfortunate that Canada's many problems with BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) are what it took to get this train moving again.

    "R-CALF wants Congress to force USDA to obey the law and implement COOL, and we're willing to work with Congress to make sure that USDA writes a COOL rule for beef patterned after COOL rule for fish and shellfish - a rule based on common sense that won't financially overburden anyone - producers, packers or the retailers," he continued. "In fact, once COOL is in place for beef, U.S. cattle producers may very well see more demand for their product, with the end result being the ability to command a higher price for beef from cattle born, raised and slaughtered here in the United States.

    "COOL would at least allow consumers to distinguish imported product from domestic product, and that's critically important if USDA keeps trying to relax our border protections," Schultz said.

    R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard pointed out many consumers have the misperception that the USDA inspection sticker on products means the item was produced right here in the United States.

    "The USDA inspection sticker is placed on all products - imported or domestic - and some imported beef actually is marked with the USDA quality grade stamp," Bullard explained. "COOL is an essential informational and educational tool for consumers who are particular about the food they feed their families.

    Bullard said that R-CALF USA members want protections against Canada's BSE problem that go beyond country-of -origin labeling, but the implementation of COOL would be an important first step in developing a comprehensive strategy that helps insulate the U.S. cattle herd and U.S. consumers from disease problems of other countries.

    #2
    Ah yes, of course R-Calf wants COOL so they can point to Canadian beef and tell consumers not to eat it, but will they point to US beef and tell their consumers "we really don't have a clue what you're getting with our beef since we don't test it".

    OT, you and your group of hypocrites are making me sicker by the minute.

    Rod

    Comment


      #3
      Whose testing system was best? I don't know- our USDA scientists say ours is- Canada's CFIA says theirs is-- Japan says we're both wrong and should be testing all, like they and Europe did for sometime....

      Thats the problem with BSE- too many uncertainties and unknowns to be relaxing or removing any of our BSE safeguards we have in place...

      And the absolute fact that has emerged is that in all the testing the US did, they found NO POST feedban born positive cattle- where Canada has found a majority of theirs are POST feedban- and is now finding 1 every 2-3 months-- which shows that the Canadian feedban did not work- and still may not be working....And shows that their is definitely a number of infected cattle in Canada- which if allowed to be imported would raise the risk factor in the US...

      Comment


        #4
        Or the testing is either better or more extensive here?

        Comment


          #5
          "And the absolute fact that has emerged is that in all the testing the US did, they found NO POST feedban born positive cattle"

          <chuckle> OT, thats like saying "we didn't test anything older than 6 years old, so we can safely say we didn't find any signs of BSE in cattle 6 yrs or older". You just don't get it do you? The US has NO IDEA what your infection rate is because of inadequate testing, yet you R-Quacks sit there and yack about everyone elses BSE problems.

          OT, fix your own problems first, before you worry about everyone elses. Then maybe the rest of us wouldn't look at you with such disdain.

          Rod

          Comment


            #6
            Again Canadians try to blame every problem they've had since the Metis Rebellion on R-CALF...

            You forget that every cattle organization/consumer group in the US has come out opposing the USDA's proposed rule to expand imports...

            That shows there is little faith in the US in Canadian cattle/beef and USDA's proposal at this time...

            The only ones that want them are the multinational packers so they can get back on a bigger "salmon run" by screwing the producers of both countries-passing off cheap beef as a US product... But since most of you sold your souls to these folks years ago, and exist only by riding the US producers shirttails- you have little choice...

            Like Sen. Dorgan said- Canada needs to spend some money (not just give it to the packers)- test all- clean up their act/problem and not try to dump thier problem on the US...

            Also as Dorgan said:
            ""I feel bad that the Canadians are having problems, but we have an obligation to look after our own beef industry first,""

            Comment


              #7
              Willowcreek’s topic heading is a bit misleading. It would be fair to say that Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D. wants to have MCOOL implemented before Canadian OTM cattle or beef enter the U.S. Politicians will play politics. The Senate does not want MCOOL, however one Senator does.

              I would not expect the Senate to pass this bill. Consider this...Canada and Alberta hold the world’s biggest supply of oil and we are the United States number one source of energy. Now also consider that the OIE and the world in general understand that the BSE situation is similar in both the U.S. and Canada. Both countries are recognized as controlled risk. There is simply no way the U.S. is going to antagonize its number one source of energy in order to prove a point that beef from countries with BSE is not safe when the U.S has BSE too.

              I do not think the U.S. is delaying resuming trade in Canadian OTM beef because of MCOOL. I think the delay has more to do with the U.S resuming trade with Japan and once volumes of beef start going into Japan we will see the border open to our OTM beef. Perhaps next month.

              Comment


                #8
                good points FS. Unfortunately our MP's and MLA's seem to be very silent on the entire issue of the cattle industry, the focus on bio fuels seems to be front and center.

                Comment


                  #9
                  "Also as Dorgan said:
                  ""I feel bad that the Canadians are having problems, but we have an obligation to look after our own beef industry first,"" "

                  I guess someone forgot to tell Dorgan that the US has BSE too. Perhaps the US should consider cleaning up its infested herd as well.

                  Oh wait, the USDA realizes that the US and Canada are EQUAL risk for BSE and as such CANNOT LEGALLY require Canada to have more stringent testing than their own.

                  Imagine that. Playing by the rules. Perhaps someone should tell the fair Senator that if he wishes the US to be treated fairly on the world stage that the US needs to respond in kind. Its a good thing R-Quack and its pet politicos aren't real powers, otherwise the US would find itself completely isolated.

                  You haven't learned yet, have you OT? There are rules to international trade and you can't simply make them up as you go to secure an advantage for your own country. The US simply isn't as important in the grand scheme of things as you seem to think, so the rest of the world is now requiring it to play nice with the rest of the children.

                  Rod

                  Comment

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