BSE tests?

[cowman]

How much does it add to the cost to do the BSE test? Japan has said we will only take your cattle if they have an individual test. So if we do the test I assume that means we would definitely have the safest meat in the world!
What could the Americans do then? I mean they would have no more phony excuses right? And maybe we would knock their socks off in the international marketplace...after all they wouldn't have a test certificate!
I saw something in one of the farm papers about a quicker and cheaper test coming down the road. The only thing holding it up was a lack of research funding! So where is our government? No money left after blowing it on all their other foolish schemes? Or is it because they are too busy fussing about some fruitcakes wanting to get married or how they can get Canadians to accept dope smoking!

[Muttley]

If some of those dope smoking fruitcakes owned cattle we would be over this whole BSE thing by now!!!!!

[kato]

You would think that if a test was to be done in the volume that this would be, that it would get cheaper.

I think the government missed a golden opportunity by instantly dismissing the the wholesale testing of cows. Even if they thought it would cost too much, they should have at least looked interested in it.

What would happen next, if the Americans suddenly realized we were entertaining the thought of testing all cows? They would say, "Wait a minute, if they test all their cows, then the Japanese and others are going to prefer Canadian beef over American, because it is assured to be free of BSE." Things would get moving pretty quickly, I would think. Nothing like the potential loss of markets to make things move. It would be a big loss, too.

[ValueChainFX]

There is a BSE test that has been approved in the EU. (We are trying to find out why it hasn't been approved in Canada so far). We are trying to get a direct cost on each animal, but have not arrived at this cost yet.

I personally don't care if Canada wants to test one out of ten or one out of fifty or one out of a thousand! Let them fill their boots! I am more concerned with what our customers want.

I am a little confussed about our government at the moment since they tell us all they are working hard to make something happen, they will only pay for research or education or studies ..... well ... here is something the industry really needs where are the government boys now????

Anyway I shouldn't pick on them too much since they get their feelings hurt so easy these days!

[cowman]

Well you know that Shirley McClellan came out and said testing each animal isn't good science, so there it is! No need, don't you see. Her idea is we must get the Japs to see the folly of their ways! She obviously doesn't believe the old saying about the customer is always right!
Now I think the japanese test all their animals so wouldn't it make sense to only allow in meat that has been tested? Canadian meat, US meat, Australian meat?
And if that is what the market demands then you either do it or get out. As long as everybody has to play by the rules. In fact it would even be a good selling point here. Right on the package it could state that this beef is certified BSE free! Now your average consumer might just think this is a good thing and insist that the kangaroo meat from Australia and New Zealand be certified BSE free too? And maybe it might wake the US up when they can't sell their high priced cuts into the Toronto market?
I'm starting to think we should insist on the industry doing a BSE test. After all who wants to get human BSE? I guess it sort of turns you into an idiot and you can't talk properly...Hey! Has anyone checked out old Jean Chretien for BSE???

[ValueChainFX]

cowman .... now you're talkin!!!! I was talking to the government guy the other day and he told me I was radical ... go figure me radical!!!! Because I wanted to give the customer what they wanted.

We are just trying to cut a deal with the group that is doing the tests in the EU at the moment. I guess the government thinks is better science to take the backbones out of every animal 30 months old and older in the plants.

If anyone has been in these plants they would know and understand why we want product out of those health hazards as fast as we can.

This is such a challenge for us. (The health hazard) Since they try to tell me they are food safe establishments and they have professional inspectors there watching as the plant is in operation. All I can say is shame on them, if they would shut their mouths and open their ears they would hear two things! First they need to upgrade the food safety standards, and second our customers (domestic and global) want them to make the plants safe!

The so-called government experts should step back a little and at least help those that are working in that direction. Instead they want to study the situation (again).
cowman .... now you're talkin!!!! I was talking to the government guy the other day and he told me I was radical ... go figure me radical!!!! Because I wanted to give the customer what they wanted.

We are just trying to cut a deal with the group that is doing the tests in the EU at the moment. I guess the government thinks is better science to take the backbones out of every animal 30 months old and older in the plants.

If anyone has been in these plants they would know and understand why we want product out of those health hazards as fast as we can.

This is such a challenge for us. (The health hazard) Since they try to tell me they are food safe establishments and they have professional inspectors there watching as the plant is in operation. All I can say is shame on them, if they would shut their mouths and open their ears they would hear two things! First they need to upgrade the food safety standards, and second our customers (domestic and global) want them to make the plants safe!

The so-called government experts should step back a little and at least help those that are working in that direction. Instead they want to study the situation (again).

[cowman]

Well valuechain you just might be radical in that you are saying something that just might make sense!
Governments aren't really into things that make sense!
I suspect if Canada came out with a mandatory BSE test for every slaughter animal it might really throw a monkey wrench into the US system! I mean all those big cow thief outfits like IBP, Cargill, Conagra might actually have to do a decent job for a change!
And the US couldn't just keep saying they have the best and safest product in the world because now there would actual proof that Canadas beef is BSE free!
Just think about it! Every Canadian steak in the meat section of a US grocery store labelled Canadian beef certified BSE free! Then the US product with no certification! Some timely ads/smear campaigns in some US papers and pretty soon we own their market! Free enterprize at its best? Beat them at their own game?

[pandiana]

Who will pay? The last figure I heard was $100.00 per test. There is not that much money in a single animal at any level of production.

[15444]

The quote coming from the Ontario Cattlemen's Assocation was $90.00 a head for BSE testing. Now at the beginning, of course cattle prices would slump for the added expense, but once Canada started exporting again and picked up in it's markets, why wouldn't people, like cowman said, want to eat certified-free of BSE beef? In that case, consumption of Canadian product should go up in our export markets and a higher demand should raise live prices and recoup our losses on the tests after a few months. This is the stance our industry groups should be heading for in the current situation! Shame on CCA and the provincial associations for having sitting back with their feet on the table, just whining!

[kato]

Do more tests, price comes down. The current prices are based on the number of tests done in a year as of now. Volume makes a huge difference. If you call a lab, and ask for a quote on 5 thousand tests, you'd find the price was a lot different.

The competition factor kicks in too. Don't underestimate that.

[ValueChainFX]

I just got more information on the BSE tests.

This following statement comes directly from my email when I questioned if the test was valid in Canada.

Quote "Our test has been validated in Canada and has been used for the BSE investigation by the CFIA."

Also on the cost of the test, I have been told that the cost of the test will be between $25.00 and $50.00 per head Canadian, and as pointed out, as volumes rise the cost of the tests "Usually" decrease.

Now the cost of the test is interesting in that the government inspection service is provided as a service to the industry (also part of Canadian commitment to safe food) The costs of these tests may actually fall under a government mandate.... Now I'm not sure of this and I'm sure if a government guy were reading this he more than likely has the squirm happenin right now!!!! Either way, the government should pick up part of this cost as a national program.

As individual producers you may (or should) be asking yourself if your National bodies are helping or not. After all industry money runs these operations. Also the organizations are influenced by the big boys! They should be there to represent you to government (in my opinion). I don't believe the individual producer gets the representation they need from these bodies that will help them get through the challenges of the day. In saying this, keep in mind they do good work, but I believe more direct help to "PRIMARY PRODUCERS" is required and these bodies would have influence in this area. So far much of the money directed to agriculture has gone to build government labs, business incubators, or such things. Even the BSE money was directed in such a way that marketers, and packers could use it but the primary producer really was only indirectly helped (some times).

I would be interested on what you as a producer thinks of the above comments, the producers I have discussed this with seem to agree that the trickle down process of putting money into agriculture is no longer the way they would like to see agriculture funded?? What are your thoughts?

[kato]

Our government has been off loading all the costs it can in the last few years. Five years ago, the cost to endorse export papers on a load of weanling pigs was $13.00. Now it can be over $200, if you have a big enough truck.

They do the same thing they did then, which is stamp the papers, and keep them on file. Why is it so expensive now? It takes 2 minutes to read them over and stamp them. Cash cow, I'd say. They charge for just about everything they used to do for free in the past. At least everything they can get away with.

Getting this bunch of tightwads to pay up for anything is going to be a major challenge.

[cowman]

You know if I could sell my cull cows for a world price(read that US price) instead of taking less than dogfood prices I would sure pony up that$25-$50! What kind of idiot wouldn't?
What is the problem here? If the Japanese want a $25-50 test to open our borders completely then why wouldn't we be doing it?
What kind of morons are running the insane asylum here? Are all our politicians/so-called industry leaders mad? I just don't get it?

[ValueChainFX]

That is what we are hearing from producers as well, they are willing to pay the price since this is a "no brainer". Now there has got to be someone pushing noodles here since for us simple guys it's a no brainer but for the academics and ag-experts they're still telling us we need marketing studies from their consultants!!!!! Go figure, now imagine that, we have spent years gathering contacts, names, information and research, put together our own reports and they tell us we need to use the consultants on "Their List". Now after putting some thought into this we called and asked how they could get the information we had put together since much of it is information based on our study. They told us to give their consultant the name of our consultant and their consultant could take our consultants information and put it in the report at a cost of (about) $50,000.00 to $100,000.00! Keep in mind we would only have to pay about 20% of this ourselves!

Anyway, my point goes back to the root of our challenges here. Don't hold your breath the government won't save you. Some form of grass roots producer organization will have to come forward and develop real programs with real paybacks to do any good for the primary producer. A functioning Canadian Producer group with hands on in your face working components is going to need to be there to coordinate such a group and "You" the producer is going to have to out right support it or not! You can only poke holes in the air with your finger so long before people get bored and walk away saying "Whatever"!

We will build a producer plant! We will build a lab to do lab work for producers, we will build producer support systems and those that don't like it, those that don't believe it, those that like the system they have ...... hide in the bush and watch!

[cowman]

You've pretty well convinced me! The world changed May 20th and we can't keep doing things the old way. I actually liked the old way but that just don't cut it anymore.
My cattle have always been healthy. Home grown feed, good spring water, no hormones as little grain as possible. A bottle of liquimiacin lasts me a long time! Blackleg,IBR,BVD shots and thats it! I don't like the idea of Ivomec or other insecticides. My old cows might get a few lice come spring but they disappear when the weather warms up.
Years ago I implanted calves but I didn't like how the heifers came around at 350 lbs.! Figured that just can't be good!
People are always running around trying to do all the latest scientific things to maybe add a few more pounds. Why? Cows have been doing their thing for a long time and will continue if you just give them a healthy environment. I always figured the less I have to do with them the better it is for me and them!
But meat should be as safe! It should be a quality product! We need to go the route of the market garden...if it doesn't look right then throw it in the garbage bin don't lower the price!