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[kato]

Check out CNN...potential mad cow in the States.

The plot thickens.

[grassfarmer]

Although I dread to think of the implications of this new twist part of me can't help saying "ha,ha" I guess we will have to see how the US likes to be shut out of International markets. Do you think it might be a Canadian cow? or a terrorist conspiracy?

[wbrower]

grassfarmer, your comments should make you eligible for brain surgery, that is if canadian taxpayers will pay for it.

[Bruce14]

Before anyone gets laughing too loud grassfarmer lets hope that cow didn't come from Canada!

[topper]

If this story is true what would this mean for the canadain cattle industry. I would presume that Canada would immediately close the border from this side. Then what? Are we left with just our domestic market? Doesn't sound like good news that's for sure.

[rusty1]

It's easy to say "If I" however some of our over fat cattle (50 truck loads) should be loaded onto trucks in the cover of darkness and crash the gates at Couts (in the dark) and head for Miller and Greely. They would be a long way down there before anyone had time to react.

[Allan-PEI]

grassfarmer,my first reaction was to say what goes around comes around,then I thought how this could affect our shaky industry.We are in it with them now

[grefer]

Before everyone goes off on a tangent lets try to take a few sober breaths.This was sure to happen providing there was no cover up.It is somewhat encouraging to see that the U.S. is upfront about this.Time will tell as to the origin of this cow,but in the mean time what are the implications for Canada?I think that this will force those in power to look realistcally at the implications of have one,two,three.. cases of BSE reported and the real implications this has on our over all food safety.In the general scheme of things the chance of dying from the human form of BSE is reatively small compared to many other ways of dying.Just a thought!

[boone]

I just hope this forces both government AG divisions U.S. And CDN etc. to use science based risk assesment here and stop all the knee JERK reactions on both sides of the border and beyond. I suspect we will both wear this one before it is done. But let's say a little prayer, that Japan and South Korea can forgive both of our trespasses.

[rusty1]

The Japaneeze lose more people every year from eating their Blow fish. We lost more to West Nile, the americans lost more this fall to the Flue. Now we have to get to the common sence table and start expounding some good old cowboy logic. And put this horride year behind after the US pays back a bunch of what it has cost you and me. The scary thing is how will the border open. The Americans can still suck up our industry with their pockets full of money so we aren't out of the wood work yet.

[ALICIA]

I can not help but think this is very bad for us. We are back to square one. To many cattle and now back to square one. but worse. What is Jappan going to do now.
Test is being sent to England to make sure. Sounds like same story just different country.
I hope the hay lasts, or their is going to be some big holes that are going to be filled.
Terrorist attack, I think so, wait better way than the food supply. Agriculture is the only think not protected, by the goverments, we are not big industrys etc. We just feed the people.

[rusty1]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DECEMBER 23, 2003
U.S. CHRISTMAS CANCELLED DUE TO LIVESTOCK BORDER MEASURES

SASKATOON, Sask.-There will be no Christmas for U.S. children this year because that country's border is closed to Canadian livestock. Reindeer are ruminants and Santa's North Pole workshop is in Canadian territory. Officials confirm that reindeer are included in a border closure triggered when one Canadian cow tested positive for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).

The problem will not be solved soon. The U.S. says it may relax restrictions in 2004 and allow live cattle and other ruminants that are less than 30 months of age to cross its border. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen, however, were all born in 1822. Even Rudolph, a relatively young reindeer, was born in 1939. There is little chance that the U.S. border will be opened soon to these older animals.

In a statement from the Pole, a spokesman for Santa Claus regretted that U.S. children will suffer. He noted, however, that there will be pain on the Canadian side of the border as well because the BSE-triggered border closure has effectively cancelled Christmas for thousands of farm families who raise cattle, sheep, buffalo, and other ruminant livestock.

Claus has tried to gain an exemption from U.S. officials on grounds that no one would be eating the reindeer. Claus also confirmed that none of the reindeer had been fed bone-meal or animal byproducts. American officials refused to grant special permission, however, citing time that the reindeer had spent in England on their gift-delivery rounds. The U.S. officials suggested Claus find alternative draft animals such as pigs, which are not currently covered by the U.S. ban. Citing well-known problems with flying pigs, Claus ruled out that solution.

Canadian sources who refuse to be named revealed that this situation raises other trade issues. The U.S. is currently pressuring Canada to relax import restrictions on U.S. cattle imposed on account of "blue tongue." The Americans have hinted that if we don't play ball regarding blue tongue they will retaliate by closing the border on account of "red nose." "The happiness of thousands of American children in foggy cities is threatened by the discovery of this single case of red nose," said a Canadian official.

Monsanto, on the other hand, claiming that red nose is not a disease but an important adaptation that should be genetically-engineered into all livestock for safety reasons, has reportedly patented the red nose gene and is hinting at legal action to protect its intellectual property. Santa Claus is talking with Percy Schmeiser's lawyer. Monsanto has not indicated if it has isolated the flying gene or if future reindeer would be Roundup resistant.

Despite all the trouble, Claus says that he is now resigned to the U.S. situation. "It's probably for the best", concluded Claus, "with the U.S. terror alert at orange, anyone flying around, landing on rooftops, and entering thousands of houses in the night would probably end up spending the new year at Guantanamo Bay."

WENDY R. HOLM, P.AG. THE HOLM TEAM

[ALICIA]

How long did it take you to type that out. I hope your not the one finger type.

[cakadu]

"What happens now" is the question likely on many people's minds. I for one am going to be interested to see where this goes in the coming days.
I'm also looking forward to seeing the various opinions on the subject come up on this site. I may not agree with them all, but I can certainly understand where the sentiments for these opinions are coming from. Upon hearing the news, I too couldn't help but wonder how the Americans were going to react now that the shoe is on the other foot and that may very well have been the reaction of a good number of people.

I don't think there are any of us that want to see the situation deteriorate any worse than it has.

Let's hope that in this instance, science will prevail and we don't see things taking place that are based not on science and logic but "payback".
There is likely to be a great deal of uncertainty in the coming days on both sides of the border. Already borders are being closed to American beef.

From this though - comes much to think about. One point raised so far is what happens with all of our beef and how do we potentially deal with producing solely for our own domestic use? I've been wondering for some time now why (pre-May 20th) we in Alberta were told that we needed to increase the beef herd by 20% without any resulting increase in markets for this beef to go to.

How will Country of Origin labelling be affected now? What about country's like Brazil who have had time to clean up the foot and mouth - what will those implications be?

What about sending downer cows for processing - should it be stopped at least as far as human consumption goes?

What about the whole issue of feeding rendered animal parts? What is the American situation like in terms of feed regulations? How good is their traceback system? What will the Americans have learned from our troubles?

Should this come back as a confirmed case of BSE - should the border be closed until they can ensure that it is one isolated case?

Sadly, all we can do is wait over the coming days to see what happens. What are your thoughts?

Merry Christmas

[cowman]

I believe now is the time to take the high road. Offer them our help and show them how a "civilized" nation reacts to anothers misfortune. Show them that yes we are their friends despite how badly they treated us. Why who knows what might happen? They might even realize that American greed isn't all that makes the world go around? And that those dumb peasants to the north are better people than they are!