R-Calf Gong Show

[Murgen]

OT-I would appreciate it if you just answer yes or no to these questions. A yes/no answer will be sufficient, you've probably heard that before. And I know you have respect for the basis that the US justice system/law was built. On truth and concise answers!

1) In your opinion are Canadian animals contaminatedwith BSE , ever since the feed ban in 1997? yes or no?

2) Have the number of Canadian animals in the US at any one time in the last 5 years, exceeded 1 million animals? Yes or No?

3) Are these animals not being culled at the same rate as Canadian older animals, yes or no?

4) Are they all being condemned? Yes or No?

Are the majority not being killed for human consumption, yes or no?

5) By your yes and no answers I will take that as you are stating that the US beef supply is not safe and that we as consumers should never eat beef again!

[Oldtimer]

[Tam]

Oldtimer can you tell me how many infected cows, besides the one we KNOW about, have entered the US food chain? Canada has had a no downer enters the food chain rule for a while now but the US just put that in place in 2004. How many of those downers that entered the US system had BSE and were never tested? When the US was to be testing for BSE why did they have a contract for a 1000 hd of the 20000 hd testing quota with a small slaughter house that did not accept DOWNER animals as a policy. Why don't they test the ones that actually show symtoms instead of the ones that don't. The Washington cow being tested was not the fluke if the USDA had a contract with that plant. It was a fluke that the test came back positive, to bad the USDA didn't see that non downers could also be positive. Canada was told that if we tested 30000 4D's we should get a true picture but if we decided to test healthy animals we would have to test 100 times as many. to get the same picture. Is the US testing 100 times as many animals for every healthy cow they test at a plant that doesn't accept downers? And why is the USDA still gathering samples from slaughter plants as they are not to accept downers as of Jan 2004 and that was what the OIE recommended they test was downers. Shouldn't they be gathering from farms and ranches like Canada is?

As far as the ones that do get into the system because they are not showing signs of BSE, that is why the rule to remove the SRM's was implimented in both the US and Canada. But I have read where this ban may not be fully complied in the US yet. As the SRM are not , by the plant inspectors say, being removed from all OTM animals. Maybe this will be like the Feed ban rule and the 99% compliance rate that you boost about. While the record shows it took the FDA over 6 years to achieve that 99% compliant rate and really don't have anyway of knowing for sure as they don't re-inspect plants that were found in non-compliance to see if they really did clean up their act. So tell me Oldtimer who is playing Russian Roulette with they consumers health.

[Murgen]

OT- all the questions I asked are answerable with a yes or no, even the opinion one, so I ask again will you enlighten us with your years of experience and knowledge? We value your opinion.

[reader (the Second)]

[Murgen]

reader- and Canada plans to continue to do that as far as we know! Who will be respected world side for their survelance? Canada I suspect. The announcement today of the US reducing testing will only hurt the US, I wouldn't be surprised if Japan rethinks it again!

[Manitoba_Rancher]

I have never seen anything definitive from Japan saying they would take Canadian beef or that they thought of this as "North American"... Last I saw from USDA was that they were not including Canadian beef in their trade talks- that they were were having to convince the trading partners of the ability for segregation again, like they did after the 2003 cow......

I truly believe our chances to open up our export market would be much better if we were not taking Canadian beef and/or Canadian beef had to be labeled as "Product of Canada" and not passed off as a US product.....





OLDTIMER: I beg to differ from you, There have been 3 meetings in the past 4 months in Brandon Manitoba with a few Japanese officials. They are looking at setting up an official plant here in Manitoba to process cattle from this province and ship back to japan through the port of Vancouver. The japanese have a lot of ties with Michael McCain and Maple Leaf has a large pork processing facility in Brandon and they looking to add a Beef processing plant. We have welcome arms for them to put up a plant here and I think you will see an announcement in the near future.

[reader (the Second)]

[Tam]

Tell me Sandhusker why is the US market still closed to Japan then If you can say that the Washington cow was imported. I thought that Japan is looking at restoring trade but only to animals under twenty months and they are not asking you to prove where they are from only the age. Looks to me as if they don't trust you older cattle any more that they trust ours right now. They are also asking Canada to age verify with birth date and we have a system we can do it with you don't so they have to agree to the tenderness test. That was the big stumbling block for you is how you can prove the age of the animals.

[Sandhusker]

[Tam]

[Manitoba_Rancher]

the japanese are looking at investing in the cattle industry here in Canada thats alot more than the American s can say!!!