Swift Pays Off on SD cattle

I just heard on the Northern Ag radio show that Swift paid the SD rancher/feeder for his lost 7 head of cattle and all offal- over $11,000 - that had been destroyed when they found Canadian tags....

No further word from USDA on their investigation....They'll probably try to close the case with this- and sneak away...

I think the investigation has been over for a long time now. The USDA knows exactly where, who, and when.

I was visiting with a pretty well known cattle buyer, feeder yesterday at the BHSS. He buyes and places lots of calves. Right now he has around 10,000 on feed, so he knows lots of people in the industry.

He said that he was told yesterday morning that the "suspect" cattle were finally tracked and were found to have recorded to have come across the border the day before they were killed at the Swift plant.

Apperently what happend was that these 7 head got mixed into the kill run with the rest of this ranchers cattle and it was a huge paperwork mix up at Swift.

At least this is the story from Swift and Co. I think like sandhusker said, the investigation has been over for a long time they are just trying to make sure their a$$ is covered

srd65 said:

I was visiting with a pretty well known cattle buyer, feeder yesterday at the BHSS. He buyes and places lots of calves. Right now he has around 10,000 on feed, so he knows lots of people in the industry.

He said that he was told yesterday morning that the "suspect" cattle were finally tracked and were found to have recorded to have come across the border the day before they were killed at the Swift plant.

Apperently what happend was that these 7 head got mixed into the kill run with the rest of this ranchers cattle and it was a huge paperwork mix up at Swift.

At least this is the story from Swift and Co. I think like sandhusker said, the investigation has been over for a long time they are just trying to make sure their a$$ is covered

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Except, this is a provably false statement.

ocm said:

srd65 said:

I was visiting with a pretty well known cattle buyer, feeder yesterday at the BHSS. He buyes and places lots of calves. Right now he has around 10,000 on feed, so he knows lots of people in the industry.

He said that he was told yesterday morning that the "suspect" cattle were finally tracked and were found to have recorded to have come across the border the day before they were killed at the Swift plant.

Apperently what happend was that these 7 head got mixed into the kill run with the rest of this ranchers cattle and it was a huge paperwork mix up at Swift.

At least this is the story from Swift and Co. I think like sandhusker said, the investigation has been over for a long time they are just trying to make sure their a$$ is covered

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Except, this is a provably false statement.

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I for one would like to see your Proof OCM. Since you have let on you have some.

Better Oldtimer :roll:

Big Muddy rancher said:

I for one would like to see your Proof OCM. Since you have left on you have some.

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You drinking this early? MUMBLE MUMBLE MUMBLE-- Even after deciphering 4 kids and 2 grandkids I can't decipher that......

the r-calfers better prove this false because they wanted to use this big scandal to reject rule two; now they can't say the import system for utm's isn't working. c'mon ot what's your next totally unsubstantiated allegation? i really thought a guy with all this law enforcement experience would have more respect for facts and the truth.

don said:

the r-calfers better prove this false because they wanted to use this big scandal to reject rule two; now they can't say the import system for utm's isn't working. c'mon ot what's your next totally unsubstantiated allegation? i really thought a guy with all this law enforcement experience would have more respect for facts and the truth.

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don-- How can the system be working if these cattle got mixed with and misidentified as US cattle? How can the system be working if these cattle weren't branded? How can the system be working if it took 2 months for the USDA to figure out they came across the border the day before :roll: "IF" any of that story is actually true...

If they can't keep track of the feeders and fats that are heading to designated locations- how will they keep track of cattle going anywhere in the country? Will they be taking 2 months to identify some old Canuck cow that tests positive at a US slaughter house? While US markets crash again- and our markets close?

It isn't worth the risk- since the US cattlemen stand nothing to gain.....

don said:

the r-calfers better prove this false because they wanted to use this big scandal to reject rule two; now they can't say the import system for utm's isn't working. c'mon ot what's your next totally unsubstantiated allegation? i really thought a guy with all this law enforcement experience would have more respect for facts and the truth.

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Are you kidding Oldtimer took one little word in BMR's post to distract attention away from him asking ocm for the proof that "this is a provably false statement" Do you really think he is going to provide anything other than R-CALF flip flopping rhetoric. The next thing they will be saying is "well we never said the 7 head were illegally in the US" or "Well we never alluded to the fact we think they were smuggled by some greedy Canadian producer." :roll: I pray what srd65 posted it right as Oldtimer's last taste of beef should be that excellent Rare Canadian Prime Rib he had while out dining with Jane. As he will be forced to eat a lot of CROW. :wink:

What I want to know is if ocm's source that this is a provably false statement is the same one that claimed that rule two didn't include OTM beef and Beef products just the OTM cattle. :?

Tam said:

don said:

the r-calfers better prove this false because they wanted to use this big scandal to reject rule two; now they can't say the import system for utm's isn't working. c'mon ot what's your next totally unsubstantiated allegation? i really thought a guy with all this law enforcement experience would have more respect for facts and the truth.

Click to expand...

Are you kidding Oldtimer took one little word in BMR's post to distract attention away from him asking ocm for the proof that "this is a provably false statement" Do you really think he is going to provide anything other than R-CALF flip flopping rhetoric. The next thing they will be saying is "well we never said the 7 head were illegally in the US" or "Well we never alluded to the fact we think they were smuggled by some greedy Canadian producer." :roll: I pray what srd65 posted it right as Oldtimer's last taste of beef should be that excellent Canadian Rare Prime Rib he had while out dining with Jane. As he will be forced to eat a lot of CROW. :wink:

What I want to know if ocm's source that this is a provably false statement is the same one that claimed that rule two didn't include OTM beef and Beef products just the OTM cattle. :?

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Tam- then you tell me what this means........

Since you have left on you have some.

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Oldtimer said:

Tam said:

don said:

the r-calfers better prove this false because they wanted to use this big scandal to reject rule two; now they can't say the import system for utm's isn't working. c'mon ot what's your next totally unsubstantiated allegation? i really thought a guy with all this law enforcement experience would have more respect for facts and the truth.

Click to expand...

Are you kidding Oldtimer took one little word in BMR's post to distract attention away from him asking ocm for the proof that "this is a provably false statement" Do you really think he is going to provide anything other than R-CALF flip flopping rhetoric. The next thing they will be saying is "well we never said the 7 head were illegally in the US" or "Well we never alluded to the fact we think they were smuggled by some greedy Canadian producer." :roll: I pray what srd65 posted it right as Oldtimer's last taste of beef should be that excellent Canadian Rare Prime Rib he had while out dining with Jane. As he will be forced to eat a lot of CROW. :wink:

What I want to know if ocm's source that this is a provably false statement is the same one that claimed that rule two didn't include OTM beef and Beef products just the OTM cattle. :?

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Tam- then you tell me what this means........

Since you have left on you have some.

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It's logical. If this is what happened, Swift would have quietly paid a long time ago. They never would have stirred up the issue in the first place. Notice USDA has not made this announcement. Tam, don, BMR, you're hanging onto a thread. "Proof" enough?

Oldtimer said:

don said:

the r-calfers better prove this false because they wanted to use this big scandal to reject rule two; now they can't say the import system for utm's isn't working. c'mon ot what's your next totally unsubstantiated allegation? i really thought a guy with all this law enforcement experience would have more respect for facts and the truth.

Click to expand...

don-- How can the system be working if these cattle got mixed with and misidentified as US cattle? How can the system be working if these cattle weren't branded? How can the system be working if it took 2 months for the USDA to figure out they came across the border the day before :roll: "IF" any of that story is actually true...

If they can't keep track of the feeders and fats that are heading to designated locations- how will they keep track of cattle going anywhere in the country? Will they be taking 2 months to identify some old Canuck cow that tests positive at a US slaughter house? While US markets crash again- and our markets close?

It isn't worth the risk- since the US cattlemen stand nothing to gain.....

Click to expand...

Geez Oldtimer are you fear mongering again did your market crash when you found the Texas cow? Did it crash when you found the Alabama cow? What makes you think it will crash again due to a Canadian cow when all your trading partners expect you will find more cases? what is putting them on edge is the fact you haven't found more imported or native!!!!!! That is putting doubts of whether or not the US is really doing the correct testing to find it, in their minds. And that doubt was first put there by Phyllis's investigation that proved you weren't prior to the Texas cow.

And IF I were you I'd be praying the next one is a Canadian cow as if the USDA has to end two investigations in a row into a Native BSE case with "We couldn't identify the birthherd" that just might bring your industry to it's knees until you get a National ID system in place that can find where your problems are originating. :roll:

Besides if she is positive and Canadian, our super sonic CCIA ID system will kick into high speed just like it was DESIGNED to and find the birthherd for you. Your problems would be solved in a timely manner . :wink:

Cattle destined for slaughter in the U.S. are loaded into trucks, and the trucks are sealed. They cannot be opened until they arrive at the slaughter plant by anyone but the USDA vet at the border. The USDA vet re-seals the truck. With the truck, written directly on the export papers is the actual route the trucker will take to the plant. Corner by corner, and highway by highway. The truck is unsealed at the plant.

I know these things because I used to prepare export papers, and was certified to seal the trucks. Even escape doors are sealed.

How did they get mixed up? Or did they get mixed up? Was this a mixed load of fats and feeders? I've never heard of anyone hauling a mixed load, specifically because of the destination requirement. Or is this all just a publicity stunt.....

And why did the guy think cattle he'd owned for one day were tagged Certified Angus because of the CA on the tag? He managed to look physically in their ears at a tiny RFID tag, and forgot where they'd come from less than a day after he'd bought them?

Give me a break......

ocm said:

Oldtimer said:

Tam said:

Are you kidding Oldtimer took one little word in BMR's post to distract attention away from him asking ocm for the proof that "this is a provably false statement" Do you really think he is going to provide anything other than R-CALF flip flopping rhetoric. The next thing they will be saying is "well we never said the 7 head were illegally in the US" or "Well we never alluded to the fact we think they were smuggled by some greedy Canadian producer." :roll: I pray what srd65 posted it right as Oldtimer's last taste of beef should be that excellent Canadian Rare Prime Rib he had while out dining with Jane. As he will be forced to eat a lot of CROW. :wink:

What I want to know if ocm's source that this is a provably false statement is the same one that claimed that rule two didn't include OTM beef and Beef products just the OTM cattle. :?

Click to expand...

Tam- then you tell me what this means........

Since you have left on you have some.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

It's logical. If this is what happened, Swift would have quietly paid a long time ago. They never would have stirred up the issue in the first place. Notice USDA has not made this announcement. Tam, don, BMR, you're hanging onto a thread. "Proof" enough?

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you said it was a provably false statement Where is your proof all I see is YOUR OPINIOn that is not proof!!!! :wink:

Tam said:

Oldtimer said:

don said:

the r-calfers better prove this false because they wanted to use this big scandal to reject rule two; now they can't say the import system for utm's isn't working. c'mon ot what's your next totally unsubstantiated allegation? i really thought a guy with all this law enforcement experience would have more respect for facts and the truth.

Click to expand...

don-- How can the system be working if these cattle got mixed with and misidentified as US cattle? How can the system be working if these cattle weren't branded? How can the system be working if it took 2 months for the USDA to figure out they came across the border the day before :roll: "IF" any of that story is actually true...

If they can't keep track of the feeders and fats that are heading to designated locations- how will they keep track of cattle going anywhere in the country? Will they be taking 2 months to identify some old Canuck cow that tests positive at a US slaughter house? While US markets crash again- and our markets close?

It isn't worth the risk- since the US cattlemen stand nothing to gain.....

Click to expand...

Geez Oldtimer are you fear mongering again did your market crash when you found the Texas cow? Did it crash when you found the Alabama cow? What makes you think it will crash again due to a Canadian cow when all your trading partners expect you will find more cases? what is putting them on edge is the fact you haven't found more imported or native!!!!!! That is putting doubts of whether or not the US is really doing the correct testing to find it, in their minds. And that doubt was first put there by Phyllis's investigation that proved you weren't prior to the Texas cow.

And IF I were you I'd be praying the next one is a Canadian cow as if the USDA has to end two investigations in a row into a Native BSE case with "We couldn't identify the birthherd" that just might bring your industry to it's knees until you get a National ID system in place that can find where your problems are originating. :roll:

Besides if she is positive and Canadian, our super sonic CCIA ID system will kick into high speed just like it was DESIGNED to and find the birthherd for you. Your problems would be solved in a timely manner . :wink:

Click to expand...

Many of us don't hope the next one is a Canadian cow. It's time the Americans played a but of catch-up and reported a few that they haven't bothered reporting. Like you said Tam, there many countries watching the US and wondering why there has only been 2 in a cow herd that size combined with that many feed infractons.

Canadian producers are more than a bit tired of taking the fall in this game of politics.

The explaination makes no sense. I don't know how many calves he had there, lets say 100 just for illustration, but if his calves plus the 7 Canadians went thru together, his check still should of been correct as he would of been paid for his 100, but not the 7 Canadian. Why was he paid for 93 but not 100? What happened to his other 7? Who got paid for those? They didn't think to check to see if somebody who had Canadian calves had the right number? The packer can't keep track of who had how many cattle?

Also, didn't the producer claim that he had seen those tags, but didn't pay much attention because he thought they were "Angus" tags? How would he of seen them if those calves just got shipped in the day before? He didn't recognize his own cattle?

Oldtimer said:

Tam said:

don said:

the r-calfers better prove this false because they wanted to use this big scandal to reject rule two; now they can't say the import system for utm's isn't working. c'mon ot what's your next totally unsubstantiated allegation? i really thought a guy with all this law enforcement experience would have more respect for facts and the truth.

Click to expand...

Are you kidding Oldtimer took one little word in BMR's post to distract attention away from him asking ocm for the proof that "this is a provably false statement" Do you really think he is going to provide anything other than R-CALF flip flopping rhetoric. The next thing they will be saying is "well we never said the 7 head were illegally in the US" or "Well we never alluded to the fact we think they were smuggled by some greedy Canadian producer." :roll: I pray what srd65 posted it right as Oldtimer's last taste of beef should be that excellent Canadian Rare Prime Rib he had while out dining with Jane. As he will be forced to eat a lot of CROW. :wink:

What I want to know if ocm's source that this is a provably false statement is the same one that claimed that rule two didn't include OTM beef and Beef products just the OTM cattle. :?

Click to expand...

Tam- then you tell me what this means........

Since you have left on you have some.

Click to expand...

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I guess you didn't read his edit, take the f out of LEFT and you have let as in "since you have let on you have some". "Proof" Oldtimer, BMR was asking ocm for Proof as he was letting on he had some that proved the statement was false. But again when asked he brings "It's logical," that is not proof I want to see something that proves these cattle were at the SD feedlot for months sporting CCIA tags with a CAN surrounded by a maple leaf and that the owner didn't know until they hit the plant. Until such proof is provided by you or ocm I think it is logical that they were imported the day before and accidentally mixed at the plant. :wink: And the fact the USDA tracked them back to the border proves your discrediting comments WRONG AGAIN. :wink: They tracked them, no illegal cattle, no greed Canadian smuggling cattle, just a mixup at the packing plant involving LEGALLY IMPORTED CANADIAN CATTLE. But I guess the USDA and Canada are to blame for that too aren't we Oldtimer. :roll:

Sandhusker said:

The explaination makes no sense. I don't know how many calves he had there, lets say 100 just for illustration, but if his calves plus the 7 Canadians went thru together, his check still should of been correct as he would of been paid for his 100, but not the 7 Canadian. Why was he paid for 93 but not 100? What happened to his other 7? Who got paid for those? They didn't think to check to see if somebody who had Canadian calves had the right number? The packer can't keep track of who had how many cattle?

Also, didn't the producer claim that he had seen those tags, but didn't pay much attention because he thought they were "Angus" tags? How would he of seen them if those calves just got shipped in the day before? He didn't recognize his own cattle?

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Who is saying his cattle didn't have Certified Angus tags that he saw maybe the reason he didn't see the MAPLE LEAF around the CA was because it wasn't there and they were Certified Angus tags in their ears. :? That has been just about every Canadian producers question "how could he see the CA and not see the MAPLE LEAF around it?"

As far as who got paid maybe that is why the cheque is so long in coming
Just for illustration you have 50 lots of cattle all of 100, most are US cattle, but a few are imported from Canada Somehow after the USDA vet inspects the Canadian cattle and finds everything is up to the rules with the imported cattle, a plant employee fresh off the truck from whereever :wink: mixes seven cattle from one of the Canadian loads with seven from one of the US loads. Not wanting to be fired or just not realizing what he has done he tells nobody. Since the USDA signed off on the Canadian cattle the plant runs the lots through and pays the importers without realizing their mistake. But when they are inspecting the US cattle for health and age they find 7 cattle sporting CCIA tags. So they hold the cheque on the 7 cattle from the US producer that the 7 were mix in with, until they can get to the bottom of what happen.

Since there was more than one load of Canadian cattle at the plant that day the CCIA tag is the only way to know for sure what truck they came off of. The plant decides to go it alone and calls the CCIA to see where they came from but the animals are not sick so no go. They are forced at this time to notify the USDA and report what happened, the USDA calls CCIA to save time but again since the cattle are not sick it is a no go. The USDA realizes the only way to find the importer is go through the number themselves and back track IE no official request to the CFIA. After looking through all the data they find the cattle were indeed imported legally the day before. end of the USDA inspection as the cattle are in the US where there are suppose to be, no laws broken. Packer then takes the information from the USDA and finds the importer to see if his cheque was for the right amount and then issues the cheque for the right amount to the feedlot operator. end of story.

Sounds LOGICAL TO ME. Just because it doesn't bash Canada or the USDA doesn't mean it couldn't have happened that way.

AND Please remember I have no proof this is just my opinion of how this could have happened. So don't bother asking for it.

Sounds logical to me too.

To some though, logical is just no fun at all. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

One other thing though. If the cattle were shipped according to protocol, unloaded and slaughtered according to protocol, which it seems they were, how did anyone other than the packing plant employees and inspectors see any tags? Not too many producers that I know stand around the packing plant to see their cattle go through.

So what's all this about seeing their tags??? :???:

Bill said:

Tam said:

Oldtimer said:

don-- How can the system be working if these cattle got mixed with and misidentified as US cattle? How can the system be working if these cattle weren't branded? How can the system be working if it took 2 months for the USDA to figure out they came across the border the day before :roll: "IF" any of that story is actually true...

If they can't keep track of the feeders and fats that are heading to designated locations- how will they keep track of cattle going anywhere in the country? Will they be taking 2 months to identify some old Canuck cow that tests positive at a US slaughter house? While US markets crash again- and our markets close?

It isn't worth the risk- since the US cattlemen stand nothing to gain.....

Click to expand...

Geez Oldtimer are you fear mongering again did your market crash when you found the Texas cow? Did it crash when you found the Alabama cow? What makes you think it will crash again due to a Canadian cow when all your trading partners expect you will find more cases? what is putting them on edge is the fact you haven't found more imported or native!!!!!! That is putting doubts of whether or not the US is really doing the correct testing to find it, in their minds. And that doubt was first put there by Phyllis's investigation that proved you weren't prior to the Texas cow.

And IF I were you I'd be praying the next one is a Canadian cow as if the USDA has to end two investigations in a row into a Native BSE case with "We couldn't identify the birthherd" that just might bring your industry to it's knees until you get a National ID system in place that can find where your problems are originating. :roll:

Besides if she is positive and Canadian, our super sonic CCIA ID system will kick into high speed just like it was DESIGNED to and find the birthherd for you. Your problems would be solved in a timely manner . :wink:

Click to expand...

Many of us don't hope the next one is a Canadian cow. It's time the Americans played a but of catch-up and reported a few that they haven't bothered reporting. Like you said Tam, there many countries watching the US and wondering why there has only been 2 in a cow herd that size combined with that many feed infractons.

Canadian producers are more than a bit tired of taking the fall in this game of politics.

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I'm in NO WAY saying I want it to be Canadian and I'm with you on wanting to see the US play catch up . But as a US producer Oldtimer better hope it is or the US industry could take a hit that will be felt all the way back to Sandhuskers bank. As they will be forced to pony up for a government designed National ID system. And as we all know anything designed and forced down the throats of producers by a government is far more expensive that what a cooperative industry can design, implement and KEEP CONTROL OF for themselves. :???: To bad all US producers are going to pay and pay heavily for the stupid actions of so few that think there is no need for a National ID system. The US's ability to participate in global beef trade could be at stake and they will have nobody to blame but themselves. :roll: .