HEAVY HAND OF THE CFIA---UPDATE

[per]

This is really a story about the abuse of power and lack of political will to reel the CFIA in. Being able to track cattle backwards and forwards is important for pinpointing a problem. We have that ability through manifests and a good inspection system as was proven in 2003. The CFIA has taken what could be a great system and blew it up by not exercising any not so common sense what so ever.

[rkaiser]

Even have the MP's scared.... LOL Had a meeting with my local MP yesterday and he was decent to speak with. One of many good things we spoke about was the fear that if the BSE class action suit goes through and slaps the CFIA upside their head, that they would handle things even tighter next time.... LOL ...

Actually that is not all that funny. It is amazing that the politicians can not see that they have the ability to stop this out of control, control freak organisation called the CFIA, and are scared of them themselves.

Don't get me wrong, I see the merit in animal identification like Grassfarmer does. There is no need for Canada to go back to the dark "American ages" as our lofty CCA seems to think. Sounds like they simply want to harmonise with the Yankees and feel that that will make everything fine. Whatever. If we need to to anything, it is to break away and Brand Canada. We can do this with ID --- but proper ID and less gestapo like tactics from the boys who could not make it in the real world of veterinary medicine and settled for a comfy government cheque and a collective ego the size of ----- I don't know what to say.

Oh yes, by the way, our MP could not believe that the CFIA would not allow BSE testing for market access. Didn't even want to go back to that old story as CFIA, CCA and ABP seem to have won that battle hands down...

[grassfarmer]

Don't be fooled too much by the out of control CFIA and the poor politicians powerless to stop it - the CFIA essentially operates as an extension of USDA and the Canadian Government (and Provincials) similarly follow what the US Government dictates. The US Government policies are of course effectively influenced by Corporate interests. It's a mess but that is the system our non-functioning democracy propagates. I think CFIA are a symptom not the root cause of the problem.

[kato]

If my memory serves me right, way back when, after ground zero cow in 1993,there was significant USDA pressure on our government to pretty much do what they did, and downplay the BSE risk, which is what got us into this mess.

Traceability is fine with me, but that means tracing an animal when it changes hands, not when it gets trucked around the farm. I'm pretty sure we all know where our cows are at any given time, so if there's an outbreak and the government needs to know where they are, all they have to do is ask.

It's when they're going in and out of auctions and feedlots and changing ownership that the tracing part should kick in.

It's nobody's business but mine where cow #43 is on Tuesday. I think the government has far more important things to do than follow my cows to the pasture and back. And far more important things to spend our tax dollars on.

[SADIE]

GF & Kato

I stopped in for lunch and will try to clarify. I just revealed two issues that I have been in contact with.

Kato--you are very correct. THe assembly yard is very good, very well run and the operator is a kind nice man doing a good job. He would of given anything CFIA wanted.

THe case that led to this was that a producer had group of cows (black white face) that he delivered, cold weather and gave the buttons to a yard worker. THere was other cows arriving apparently. THe producer left the site.

Apparently there is a button on a different cow.

To date there has been no charges laid to yard operator or producer. THe producer has just heard about "fine threats" via phone conversation. Both people are releaved that my case is building and revealing some real issues in:

WHAT ARE THE LAWS----EVERYONE HAS TO BE SINGING FROM THE SAME SONG SHEET.

WHAT ARE THE INTERPRETATION OF THE LAWS

WHAT AND HOW ARE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAWS.

I can/will only give limited information. THe readers of this are seeing that there is another side of this whole problem arrising.

More to come down the road. At meetings or tribunals.

[kato]

Randy, it sounds to me like this petition may have an unintended consequence that we did not see.

Maybe it will enlighten our elected officials.

It's obvious that they really don't know a lot about anything in the agricultural world, and I think it's about time they did. I'm sure they don't fully realize exactly how much of our economy is driven by agriculture. If not for agriculture, I'm sure our trade surpluses would be trade deficits. Agriculture is a huge part of our economy, all the way from jobs on the farm, to jobs in the grocery store and restaurant in downtown Toronto or Vancouver.

And it gets no respect, IMHO. I guess if we don't stick up for ourselves, no one is going to do it for us.

[grassfarmer]

SADIE, You are throwing enough info out there to make it interesting but not enough to make sense. I don't need to know the ins-and -outs but I'd like to know what the producer was threatened with being fined for. Was he threatened for moving/selling cattle untagged? I can't see how he could be fined for his tag ending up on a "wrong cow" or any other infringement.

[SADIE]

That is all the information you are going to get right now. There is a victom support group developing out in this area.

Victoms can be found by contacting the tribunal office in Ottawa which I am doing preparing for my case.

Presently there are 3 cases proceeding to a hearing at this time. One very similar to mine and another a tagging issue of a sifferent nature. THe two other than mine were scheduled before my hearing and have now posponed theirs to occar after mine but are going to plan on attending mine.

This Manitoba producer in question was found by the developing working group and was very relieved to hear he wasn't alone in a possible turmoil with CFIA.

Cattlemen that are becoming victums are connecting for support help. This is more valuable than seeing a lawyer.

GF enough said. My slow time is in the winter and there will be seminars coming up for speaking tours in this area at Community pasture biannual meetings.

Defence against CFIA Class 101

[SADIE]

Two general interpretations I want to receive your opinion on.


1)Traceability is not supposed to IMPEDE COMMERCE what does it mean to you?

2)At what point are animal considered in transit from premise of origin?


These are two questions 2009 CCA presdent Brad Wildeman spoke at several occasions that attended during meetings throughout Saskatchewan. His comments were that he shared these exact words with the Minister of Agriculture as well.

Thankyou

[per]

#1. Transactions can't be slowed down or otherwise diverted because of traceability. Should not have an effect on inter ranch movement.

#2. At the point where they leave one owners operation and possession and Ownership. All the ranchers properties whether rented, leased, community pasture or owned are part of his operation. Ownership and control have to change for possession to change and to consider them in transit.

Of course these are my definitions and will no doubt be interpreted differently by the CFIA and others.

[kato]

per, I agree with you 100%.

[SADIE]

I need to be more specific than that. The cattle liners or trailers are backed up to the load-out shute.

THe cattle have gone through the working alleys and head-gate and put in the holding pen which leads to the load-out shute where the trucks are backing into.

At what point is the responsiblity leasve the hands of the cattle owner?

Are we build a funnel alley and squeeze head gate and after every animal is proceeded (one by one) let it hop onto a trailer????

[grassfarmer]

Playing devils advocate - "#1. Transactions can't be slowed down or otherwise diverted because of traceability."
Doesn't that already happen when the brand inspector has to clip cattle at auction to read brands? I suggest it does but the important thing is whose time is it taking up and who is paying for that time?

[kato]

I think a major problem here, just as much the rules, is over zealous application of the rules.

Do the RCMP stop every car on the road and check everyone's seatbelt? No. Do they pull people's licences for driving five over the speed limit. No.

Why? Because if they really wanted to be right on the letter of the law, they could conceivably spend all their time and all their resources chasing law abiding citizens who make the occasional mistake, while real criminals run free. It's just not a good use of their time. Or our tax money. It's also not good common sense.

Wasn't there just a story out this winter about how the CFIA is missing inspecting a terrific number of loads of imported food? Seems to me there was a huge backlog of work, so the food was just let in without inspection.

Why is there such a backlog? Because apparently there is not enough staff or budget to do the job? Maybe it's not lack of resources, but misuse of them, because so many of the staff are off in the country chasing after broken tags in cattle that are not going anywhere but basically around the block.

[Happytrails]

to gf. Brand inspectors are under no constraints to not impede commerce. To the contrary their role is to halt commerce if there is any question of livestock ownership. To Kato. Of course some common sense should prevail in all matters. To give ID tag traceability a pass because of too strict rule interpretation doesn't work for me. If you stand back and view the forest rather than thinking that removing a few trees will solve the problem I think we will be on the same page.