Waiting

[cowman]

Clay Serby(Sask. Ag minister) was quoted as saying farmers shouldn't panic and think the world has come to an end because of this recent BSE problem. And he is totally right! Right now we need to be calm and wait for our pros to get this thing figured out.
I hear farmers on the talk shows saying this is the end of the cattle business etc. etc. You can hear the fear in their voices as they contemplate their total ruin.
But in reality, for most of us,we had accepted the fact that this was going to be a long old haul and had planned our various survival strategies on that.
I still believe this last BSE incident is going to be a positive thing for the Canadian producer! Consider that now we have the US as our ally on this instead of our major problem? Why maybe we'll actually be able to get a sensible approach to the BSE problem instead of running around trying to do a balancing act between science and politics!
I expect it to be very ugly for the next few months but at least there could be light at the end of the tunnel if the American public suddenly realizes there is a problem with meat safety in North America? Now is not the time to get into a war of words with the Americans!
I am very proud of how our food safety professionals have conducted themselves and I believe the Americans must see that we are trying to do our part. We are in this together(and really always have been) and I have a lot of hope that by next year things will be better.

[WoolyBear]

I would have to agree with the way that the officials have conducted themselves especially in front of a camera fielding all of the crazy media reporters looking for a story. Remember the media are the ones that coined the phrase MAD COW. They have for the most part come across as being relatively calm, and sure of their statements before they make them. I wish that the media though would stop paraphasing and twisting things to get a "reaction". The best interview on both side that I have seen was between Marilyn Maki (CBC Countrywide) and the rep from CCIA last night. She was polite, clear, and seemingly understanding. He was cool, concise and didn't attack the US for their lack of a national ID system.

Professionalism, cooperation and understanding will make this whole mess straighten out in the short run.

[cakadu]

I'm curious cowman - I might just be missing something, but I'm wondering how you see the U.S. as our ally when they are trying to point the finger at us and make it NOT their problem?

When I see finger pointing, I always remember that for every finger pointed - there are 3 coming back at the one doing the pointing.

The U.S. was just a little too quick to "blame Canada". What good could come of saying that it was a Canadian cow before there was factual, scientific proof that it was?

I agree, we'll have to work together on this as that is the only way we can overcome.

I had heard yesterday that the cattle industry is a $40 billion/year proposition in the U.S. and it is done primarily by 5 states - Texas, Nebraska, Montana, Kansas and I can't remember the 5th, but Wyoming comes to mind.

How long can they wait to have borders opened back up?

[pandiana]

It's interesting, cakadu, that even before there was a 'Canadian connection'the fingers were pointing at Canada on some of the forums. We are not immune, however, as I remember many Canadians who wanted very badly to put the origin of our Angus BSE cow as an American import.
I believe that this underlies what we all know at heart that cattle having been moving back and forth for some time. It makes complete sense to me that if we have BSE the probability is extremely high that they have it too. The question is only how long will it take to find and do they have the will to keep trying.
This is more and more the spin that Canadians, including Ralph and Ted Haney yesterday, are puting on this. I thought they both did an excellent job, and like you I was proud of them.

[Harper]

I am hoping that cowman is right - I was reading on the USDA newsbriefing from yesterday and reporters were asking why if the science says that the meat is safe, the US has banned meat from other countries with BSE. They admitted they were part of the problem and were working on that by gradually opening the border to Canadian beef. How can they say Canadian beef isn't safe while theirs is??

[cowman]

Well Linda, I guess I'm listening to the things I want to hear instead of the idiots like R-calf and the old boys on agri-web or that goofy senator from North Dakota. Try the Congressman(REP) from Ohio. Now there is a guy who gets it! He understands the concept of food safety for all of North America!
I haven't heard anything from the big US vet that alarms me. He has basically said it how he sees it...and he's probably right! He never ranted on about how evil we were or something...he just said hey it looks like this is a Canadian cow. Never yelled to have the border closed forever or anything. In fact from what I heard from him, he was very professional and stated very clearly that he was all for working this thing out with his Canadian counterparts. Did he jump the gun? Will it matter when the DNA samples come in?
I've trashed America a lot in these posts but it mainly has to do with some of their more idiotic leaders not the American people. They are us...we are one people.

[cowman]

Got to agree with this one! Getting my letter off today! The Alberta agenda sure makes a lot of sense to me even if Ralph is doing his best to discourage it.
For all you guys who don't think the Alberta Agenda is a good thing take heart...I'm usually on the losing side in these sort of things!

[ValueChainFX]

LOL, Cowman my letter was seen yesterday, good on ya!