Boxed Beef to USA

[bombay_43]

It is my understanding that a substantial amount of Canadian beef is crossing the border into the US in boxes. Supposedly the best cuts are going south, and hitting consumers tables down there at a hefty price.

Anyone have any idea as to how much beef is crossing the border?

If it is a large quantity, perhaps it is time to withold all beef going into the US until the border can fully open?

If they can get the milk free, why buy the cow?

[rusty1]

I hear ya - maybe an alternative would be for us to haul the steaks to Denver is refer trucks and sell it in the parking lots like we did hamburger.

[WoolyBear]

Doesn't the boxed beef have to come from FEDERALLY inspected plants that have been properly certified by the USDA? And guess who owns those????!!!

[cowman]

I'm not sure about IBP but everything that comes out of Cargill is in a box. Always was from day one.
I believe boxed meat to the USA for 2003 was almost up to the level of that shipped in 2002! In spite of the fact the border was completely shut down from May 20 to middle of September. So that must mean the meat is pouring across the border fairly well?
The US is probably getting the rib eye, strip loin, tenderloin, sirloin tip, maybe the rounds. Which leaves us with all the good stuff like shanks and chucks?

[cowman]

Hard not to buy into some of the conspiracy theories going around when you see this blatent disregard for the Canadian producers by the American owned packers. Sorry to say, bombay, but we cannot stop it now, since these same packers own a lions share of the slaughter ready cattle as well. We are being hosed, and that is what a free market enterprise like the cattle industry allows. I am as much a capitalist as they come, however conspiracies aside money and greed are all that are driving this and the only thig that will change it is a more free market open border.
I'd like to say that I read and responded to an article in a cattle publication while visiting the NILE in Billings Montana last fall. This protectionist fool spoke of how Canada would treat the American's if the shoe was on the other foot. I believe he used the word foot again when refering to his description.
Somehow I feel a big red, white, and blue foot on my butt, not only making record profits on our best cuts through the boxed beef trade like cowman says, but also the continued imports of more low ends keeping our cull cow market in the tank.

[bombay_43]

After reading some of the things going on in the US, I still have to wonder at whether we are being suckered into selling cheap beef into a very lucrative US market. One of the postings in the US Agweb.com from Feb. 6 says:

Fed Cattle Volatility hit the cattle market this week, with comments from the international panel on BSE initially spooking the market. The real concern is how long our export channel is cut off. Domestic beef demand has been keeping up with supplies, with reduced kill weights helping to keep supply in line.

If they are having to reduce kill weights, does that not signify an impending shortage?

As well, the Avian flu outbreak has to cause shortages of meats in general. Is this not going to add to the demand for our beef?

Just my way of looking at this maybe.

[cowman]

I suspect with the amount of US chicken being banned in foreign countries America could be awash with chicken this summer? America is a major poultry exporter in the world.
If you ever wonder how crooked the meat trade is then poultry would be a fine example! The mafia could only dream of the deals that go on in the chicken business!
When Russia was on the ropes in the 90s a good chunk of the US foreign aid was in the form of chickens from Tysons plants. It turned out that in fact a lot of the "grade A" poultry was in fact old hens and condemned chickens! The Russians dumped a few loads in the harbor because they weren't fit to eat! Of course it turned out Tyson was being paid top dollar by the US government and his good friend and silent business partner Bill Clinton! But then that was only fair as Tyson had bought Slick Willy the Whitehouse!