Is it time to test?

[Bruce14]

As we wait for the results of the upcoming DNA results a question keeps running through many of our minds.

What will happen next?

Is it it time to seriously consider implementing BSE testing in Canada in order to regain export markets?

I feel the Canadian beef industy is growing weary of getting back up to its knees only to be sucker punched and knowcked back down.

How long can we wait for the U.S. to decide whether to "help us out" when the vast majority of producers could care less if another Canadian animal ever walked on U.S. soil again?

With this being an election year will the Bush administration be content to just let us swing in the wind as he now has his own BSE problem to deal with.

If we expect to save the Canadian beef industry it is perhaps time for a change of direction. We have been told by gov't and industry leaders that Canadians have to wait and work with the Americans in establishing any new standards.

I say it is time to raise the bar and use the few advantages we have to make the U.S. catch up.

[pandiana]

Yes, it is well past time. We could have had six months under our belts by now. I can understand some reticence in doing this, hoping that 1 animal would be the only one every found. Nonetheless, as it looks as though we may have another case, we have to bite the bullet and weed out any other/s now. I think it would be better to know what we are up against and be proactive in dealing with it that doing the ostrich thing with our head in the sand.

[topper]

I have to agree with you guys on testing all animals. After all the consumers wants to be guaranteed his meat is safe and testing every last animal is the only way to do that. We are past worrying about making the americans mad. We have the perfect oportunity now to take a big chunk of the asian markets. Even Russia has said that it would take our beef if it was tested. The only problem I foresee is that as soon as we make a move towards blanket testing the Americans will follow suit, but maybe some of those consumers would remember who took the plunge first. I can see now that the Americans will push through their COOL laws so even if we are allowed back into their market it will not be the same as before the BSE cow came along. One problem with blanket testing is our slaughter capacity in Canada, How do you guys think we could get all these animals killed here? Would we have to build some big kill plants in a hurry? Like everything else I suppose its not quite as simple as it looks, but I think that we are at the point now that we have to make changes. Maybe just the mention of doing this would change attitudes in the US.

[cowman]

We should have been testing right from the start. I understand the government and industry leaders not wanting to get the Americans mad but the fact of the matter is this is food we're talking about! A long ways back I asked what will happen when we get the second cow? Will we be able to bamboozle the public again? How about the 3rd, 4th and 5th cow? And be assured, they are out there! How many does it take until the North American consumer says enough of this and strike beef from the menu?
If we test the Americans will have to follow...they are not lily white virgins now! And if we test everything it only makes sense that every country that sends meat or meat products into our country or US must test or be barred.
Will it happen? I doubt it. We'll probably have to get to about that 5th cow!

[Bruce14]

Cowman I agree with your thinking that it may take until the 5th cow before testing is done but unfortunately that will be too late.

Our politicians and industry leaders are playing Russian roulette with our future and had better be prepared to make a change of direction quickly. The actions the U.S. takes over the next week or so will be critical to the future of the Canadian Beef Industry and I don't have much confidence in that being favorable.

[drill7]

If testing is the answer then we should get at it. The old question comes up, Who's going to pay for it?
I think we should be also be looking for different markets so we are not so dependent on the American whims. This is probably not really practical just because they are so close.

[cowman]

drill7: Why you and I will pay for it my friend! Our government pretty well set the stage for that one with the National cattle ID program. But whatever, I'd rather pay $30 an animal and get $750 per cull cow than not pay and get $60 per cow?
Apparently there is a guy who has a live blood test up and running in Colorado. I suppose the cost would be a lot less than the $30 test(used in Japan right now )? Also Europe is close to a live blood test and it should be on the market soon.
On the Rutherford talk show they interviewed the guy who had the Colorado test and he said it was 85-90% accurate to which Rutherford responded he wasn't too impressed with those numbers. The guy claimed the 85-90% figure was actually higher than the current regular tests being used!!!

[cakadu]

I don't have a problem with the testing being paid for by the government a.k.a you and me as quite frankly this focus on food safety is a social issue, not just a producer issue.

I've long been of the opinion that some of these things that are being implemented to ensure food safety - HACCP, on farm food safety, the national i.d. program - which by the way is now MANDATORY for sheep producers as well - and whatever testing the experts may deem necessary - are very much a social concern and as such should be taken care of in that manner.

Maybe now it's more important than ever that it be looked at from the bigger picture. One segment of society cannot continue to be responsible for the food safety for all. I don't mind doing my part, but so should everyone else.

[enough]

My food should have been tested all the time not after sickness or death.

[jensend]

and as with any high quality product you should be willing to pay for the extra quality and assurance because it doesn't happen for free.

[grassfarmer]

Testing of live animals would be handy but a live test has been promised since the early 90s and it's never materialised yet. As Shirley McLellan pointed out during the summer a live test wouldn't necessarily be accepted by the world authorities until it was established it worked properly. Without this approval it's not going to open any export doors for us.
The dead test sounds attractive at $30 when cull cows are worth so little but has anyone actually run this past the kill plants? do they want to slow down their production/storage set ups while waiting for test results?

[cowman]

Actually I'd be kind of happy if guys like enough got BSE! One less idiot to feed!

[topper]

I think you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned the kill plants. I don't think we have to ask them anything. The government will just pass a law that every animal over 30 months gets tested and that's all that's to it. They might however refuse to butcher this type of animal which is what they are doing right now anyway. We are probably going to have to build more kill plants in this country and also a lot of extra storage to hold the beef until the tests are done. It for sure is not going to be an easy thing to do, but probably is the right thing to do.

[Bruce14]

Grassfarmer I had to almost laugh when you asked if anyone had run this past the kill plants.

Who would you expect to put up the most resistance to increased testing except them. With the packers enjoying the situation of the last few months (I am giving them a loss in the first 2-3 following May 20th) they would certainly be dragging their feet on any changes.

HEY!!! Maybe the Japanese would like to invest some more money in Canada. They have some here already in other industries, why not set up a Japanese plant to produce Beef for their market? They could even inspect it themselves.

[cakadu]

enough - testing should be done for all diseases that pose a risk.

BSE is one such risk, but there are food borne diseases such as e-coli, salmonella, listeria and such that pose far more significant health risks every day.

The statistics on these types of food borne illnesses are staggering.

I remember several years ago hearing a food safety expert talk about what we DID NOT know about e-coli. He said that what we do know is just the tip of the iceberg and as we get more sophisticated in our testing, we will be amazed.

Back in the mid 1990's I remember when scrapie became a problem in some parts of the world and in Eastern Canada I believe it was. That caused many plants to not take animals over 1 year of age - which created monumental problems in the sheep and goat industries. I'm not sure that we want to see that kind of difficulty arise in the beef industry.

Testing is great and I would like to see it. What would make me more comfortable is knowing that it would be third-party, arms length from any organization and the costs not downloaded onto producers.