I saw this storey on DTN this morning thought it would be of interest to all.
AMI: US Limits on Canada Beef Too Tough
3/04 06:30
WASHINGTON (OsterDowJones) -- A U.S. restriction on Canadian beef shipments that requires segregated production lines to limit their exports to only meat from cattle under 30 months of age is an "overly precautious" and an unnecessary trade barrier, American Meat Institute Foundation President James Hodges said.
Hodges, in an interview with OsterDowJones, said the U.S. requirement on Canadian beef may have been necessary last year when the U.S. re-opened its border several months after a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad-cow disease, was discovered there in May last year, but it is no longer needed.
That, he said, is because both countries have implemented new rules to remove material most likely to carry the BSE disease from the carcasses of cattle over 30 months of age. He said that with both countries removing those "specified risk materials," such as the brain and spinal cord, it no longer matters where the cattle originated.
"Now that we do have an identical (specified risk material) policy (to Canada) there should be complete harmonization of the border for all meat products and all live animals," Hodges said.
Furthermore, U.S. Department of Agriculture Chief Economist Keith Collins said last week that the U.S. restriction on Canada is now responsible for halting U.S. beef shipments to Canada.
It took the U.S. several months to begin allowing Canadian beef back across the border after the case of BSE was discovered there and then only after Canada agreed to segregate product from cattle under 30 months of age for export.
After the U.S. reported a BSE case in December, Canada turned that segregation requirement back on the U.S., stopping U.S. exports despite Canada's assurance they are not being banned.
USDA officials said Ron DeHaven, the department's chief veterinarian, met last Friday with Canadian negotiators over the beef segregation issue. DeHaven did not return phone calls.
A spokesman at the Canadian embassy in Washington stressed an "openness to talk" with the U.S. and said those talks are ongoing. He said Canada is willing to make the country's beef import certification process "less onerous," but it will be up to negotiators to decide to what degree.
The U.S. exported 86,613 metric tons of beef to Canada from January through November last year, worth $310 million, according to USDA data compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation.
Hodges and Collins' comments were made as U.S. and Canadian officials continue to wrangle over what needs to be done to get U.S. beef flowing back into Canada while at the same time working with Mexico in related efforts to harmonize beef and cattle trade rules for the North American Free Trade Agreement members.
The American Meat Institute said in a letter sent to the USDA last week it believes the U.S. restrictions on Canada are also being considered by Mexico as it evaluates whether or not to ease its bans on U.S. beef and live cattle. AMI was correct, as Mexico Wednesday partially lifted its ban on U.S. beef, instituting limitations much like the U.S. restrictions on Canada.
The group, which represents 90% of U.S. beef packers and processors, said in the letter said it is not surprised "some governments are inclined to restore limited trade with America only if USDA can certify that U.S. packers are meeting the same non-scientific standards that we currently require of Canada. There is a terrible irony in the fact that U.S. requirements imposed on Canada in 2003 are the very precedents preventing U.S. beef exports to Mexico today."
AMI: US Limits on Canada Beef Too Tough
3/04 06:30
WASHINGTON (OsterDowJones) -- A U.S. restriction on Canadian beef shipments that requires segregated production lines to limit their exports to only meat from cattle under 30 months of age is an "overly precautious" and an unnecessary trade barrier, American Meat Institute Foundation President James Hodges said.
Hodges, in an interview with OsterDowJones, said the U.S. requirement on Canadian beef may have been necessary last year when the U.S. re-opened its border several months after a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad-cow disease, was discovered there in May last year, but it is no longer needed.
That, he said, is because both countries have implemented new rules to remove material most likely to carry the BSE disease from the carcasses of cattle over 30 months of age. He said that with both countries removing those "specified risk materials," such as the brain and spinal cord, it no longer matters where the cattle originated.
"Now that we do have an identical (specified risk material) policy (to Canada) there should be complete harmonization of the border for all meat products and all live animals," Hodges said.
Furthermore, U.S. Department of Agriculture Chief Economist Keith Collins said last week that the U.S. restriction on Canada is now responsible for halting U.S. beef shipments to Canada.
It took the U.S. several months to begin allowing Canadian beef back across the border after the case of BSE was discovered there and then only after Canada agreed to segregate product from cattle under 30 months of age for export.
After the U.S. reported a BSE case in December, Canada turned that segregation requirement back on the U.S., stopping U.S. exports despite Canada's assurance they are not being banned.
USDA officials said Ron DeHaven, the department's chief veterinarian, met last Friday with Canadian negotiators over the beef segregation issue. DeHaven did not return phone calls.
A spokesman at the Canadian embassy in Washington stressed an "openness to talk" with the U.S. and said those talks are ongoing. He said Canada is willing to make the country's beef import certification process "less onerous," but it will be up to negotiators to decide to what degree.
The U.S. exported 86,613 metric tons of beef to Canada from January through November last year, worth $310 million, according to USDA data compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation.
Hodges and Collins' comments were made as U.S. and Canadian officials continue to wrangle over what needs to be done to get U.S. beef flowing back into Canada while at the same time working with Mexico in related efforts to harmonize beef and cattle trade rules for the North American Free Trade Agreement members.
The American Meat Institute said in a letter sent to the USDA last week it believes the U.S. restrictions on Canada are also being considered by Mexico as it evaluates whether or not to ease its bans on U.S. beef and live cattle. AMI was correct, as Mexico Wednesday partially lifted its ban on U.S. beef, instituting limitations much like the U.S. restrictions on Canada.
The group, which represents 90% of U.S. beef packers and processors, said in the letter said it is not surprised "some governments are inclined to restore limited trade with America only if USDA can certify that U.S. packers are meeting the same non-scientific standards that we currently require of Canada. There is a terrible irony in the fact that U.S. requirements imposed on Canada in 2003 are the very precedents preventing U.S. beef exports to Mexico today."
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