USA animal ID

[cowman]

Well I have been pretty critical of the Americans in the past for sure. I believe I've been equally critical of our federal government and industry leaders? After all they could have had us out of all this garbage a long time ago if they'd brought in manditory, universal testing?
But whatever, that is water under the bridge. I am optomistic that the American response has been to overwhelmingly adopt the safety precautions that Canada implemented after May 20th. And has stepped right up with a national ID system. Now we need to take one more step and test everything? Both us and them but if they balk at it we need to go it alone. Sometimes we need to lead our brothers along the right path?
The Americans might try to put a Canadian spin on all this but it just won't wash in Japan and I believe the USDA knows it. They just need to come around to the right way of thinking(as do our own cattle associations)!

[cakadu]

Color me the devil's advocate on this one, but isn't it interesting how the Americans are saying that they are adopting the Canadian practices NOW. What was wrong with them before their case of BSE surfaced?!?!?!

I agree we should take the high road, but I am more than just a little sceptical/cynical and whatever else you might want to call it when it comes to them now saying that our science and our practices were good, when prior to December 23rd, they weren't or at least were questionable.

Were they making any moves to adopt practices in the last 6 months? Let's face it - part of this is to dodge bullets and to do whatever they can to protect THEIR markets. They aren't doing it to help us because as people have already pointed out - they were doing very well on our misfortune.

When I was in Chile a couple of years ago we asked about how Canadians were viewed on the global market and one of the agriculture people down in Chile said that "we weren't tough enough to make it". I have to believe that some of that is true because we are always willing to turn the other cheek and be conciliatory. Maybe it's time we start looking after ourselves and our interests.

[kato]

American farmers may not have realized yet what their government seems to have realized.

That is that it really doesn't matter where the cow came from...she was found in the States, therefore there is BSE in the States. Tracing it back to Canada, and blaming us won't help them a bit with their export dilemma. Logic and reason go out the window when those three magic letters show up (BSE).

[grassfarmer]

Well said Kato, spot on!