Live cattle to Mexio?

[Bruce14]

I heard on the news that live Canadian dairy cattle could be shipped to Mexico in the next week or two. The mechanics are being worked out. I wonder if they will be going through the U.S. or by ship?

Can beef cattle be far behind? How will the Americans deal with this. They definitely need our dairy heifers as well with all the BST they use. How can they bring in dairy cattle and leave beef cattle out.

[dalek]

Dairy cattle will be the LAST ones to enter the US other than beef culls. I remember the CFIA talking about Mexico a month or so ago, they were considering live cattle at that point but the Americans wouldn't let them travel THROUGH the US even in trucks with sealed doors and shipping them by boat wasn't worth it.

[Bruce14]

Why will dairy cattle be the last ones to be allowed?

[dalek]

Because dairy cattle (and beef breeding animals) are the ones that will survive to be more than 30 months old and according to the "experts" at least, have the most risk. Most slaughter cattle other than culls should be long dead by 30 months.

[Bruce14]

Never say never.

Taken from Calgary Herald Set. 13

EDMONTON (CP) - Mexico is poised to open its borders so wide to Canadian cattle that exports to the country could actually exceed pre-mad cow levels.

That would bring Canada's global export sales of beef up to three-quarters of last year's level. But that's only if the Mexicans can persuade the United States to let imports through, says the head of the Canada Beef Export Federation. "The feedback we have is that the Mexican government is becoming increasingly frustrated by having the U.S. positioned into such an influential role that's really interfering with Mexico's independent decision-making process," said Ted Haney from the World Trade Organization meeting in Cancun, Mexico.

"There's always the inherent threat that if Mexico makes the, quote, 'wrong' decision, they could put into jeopardy their ability to export live cattle to the United States."

A series of crucial deals are in the works with Canada, Mexico and the United States, said Haney.

Mexico wants to import the same boneless beef cuts as does the United States, as well as a number of bone-in cuts and organ meats still banned by the Americans.

Mexico has also agreed to allow the import of Canadian dairy cattle. About 15,000 such cows have been purchased by Mexican producers and are awaiting shipment, said Haney.

However, the Americans and the Mexicans are negotiating as to how to move the beef and cattle through the U.S.

Live cattle would probably cross the Canadian border in sealed trucks. The cow would have ear tags designating them as Canadian and forbidding their sale to the U.S. or their rendering into the feed chain. The second option would be to move the animals by sea, said Haney.

He expects a Mexican proposal on live dairy cattle to go before the U.S. Department of Agriculture next week. He says a successful deal could form the basis of a protocol to sell live beef cattle to Mexico as well.

Similar negotiations are taking place about beef products. Haney hopes a deal could be in place as early as Monday with beef moving to Mexico by Thursday.

Federal Agriculture Minister Lyle Vanclief said the beef import issue has been settled at an official level. Talks are now focused on implementation.

Even if only boneless cuts get approval to travel to Mexico, Haney expects to double Canada's exports to that country to 150,000 tonnes. A wider deal could lift that figure to 190,000 tonnes.

That meat, plus boneless cuts to the U.S., would push Canadian beef exports up to three-quarters of the 520,000 tonnes a year before the mad cow crisis.

Haney said Mexican officials told him long ago they were satisfied with the safety of Canadian beef.

"They were expressing frustration two months ago at the restrictions put on them by the United States."

The news came as two Prairie provinces announced extensions to aid programs for cattle producers hit by the export bans.

Manitoba Agriculture Minister Rosann Wowchuk announced another $10 million to promote expansion of the province's cattle-slaughter industry.

Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert promised another $20 million for the province's price-support program, which pays producers the difference between current and pre-mad-cow prices.

Calvert also announced a series of cash advances and loan programs that could total $140 million if cattle producers fully subscribe to them.

Vanclief said from Cancun that Saskatchewan wouldn't get any more mad cow aid money until the province signs on to Ottawa's agriculture policy framework. Sending money after the partial opening of the U.S. market would open Canada to subsidy charges, he said.

Told of those comments, Calvert reacted angrily.

"To have a national government use a program, or the threat of not providing funds, as blackmail . . . is not on."

On another front, shipments of boneless beef continued to move across the U.S. border Friday from the Cargill plant in High River, Alta.

Cargill spokesman Rob Meijer said the company is starting slowly until it's sure there won't be problems with paperwork at the border.

[ValueChainFX]

Ted Haney is a good man and works hard to promote Canadian Beef around the world! Canadian Beef Export Federation has people in several countries working specifically to sell Canadian product! CBEF does have influence from the big boys that is something we all need to keep in mind!

As far as Boneless moving into the US plants such as Cargill High River only kill young beef, I'm sure we will see their boneless (and all there beef) moving across the boarder faster, better and more effectively than ever very soon!

I would be willing to bet Mr. Haney has some other deals in other countries just around the corner! I look forward to see those announcements! Ted Haney, Cam Danials and the people around the world with CBEF have done some good things in the past for Canadian producers, I can only expect to see more good things come from this group!