Bluetongue

[cakadu]

Okay, now let me get this straight, we are going to potentially wreak havoc in our own country because the high incidence states in the U.S. don't export much to this country. Seems to me all it takes is ONE to create problems.

If I also understand it correctly, when the vectors are in place, nothing gets shipped because the probability that something might happen is greater, so nothing moves. This is nothing new as we have been dealing with vectors for years now.

Because we have been working within the science for the last number of years - 5 is the number that I heard, we are now going to throw out even the vectors so that we can play "roulette"?

I guess it shouldn't come as any surprise. We were willing to let fusarium come into the province and not think twice about what that could potentially do to the malting barley industry, so why should we worry about this?

Any guesses as to how long the border going south remains padlocked to live Canadian cattle?

[cowman]

I suspect the "fix" was in on this one from day one. This was probably one of those back room deals. If that is the price to open the US border then what can you do?
Consider Bob Spellers dilemma? The CCA and ABP were 100% behind this and they supposedly represent the "cattle industry" and are the groups he hears from. I don't think any of the breed associations had much to say against it or at least I never heard anything out of them? And I assume they would be very concerned if it threatened their exports?
I sometimes think we need a R-calf type organization up here to look out for the cow/calf sector! I know R-calf is a dirty word to most Canadian beef farmers but in reality they are the American cow/calf mans voice?

[rsomer]

cowman: I was thinking the same after I read the news on bluetongue. Cow calf producers do need a well funded organization that represents their interests.
The feedlot sector has the Alberta Cattle Feeders which has successfully worked to further their interests to the point where the feedlots have dramatically increased their influence with government. Now the ACF has special representation within ABP and delegates and directors in ABP that further only the feedlot interest. It really has worked well for them.
The beef industry is way more political than any of us would like to think and cow calf producers need to invest the time and dollars in an organization, and dare I say it, like R-Calf that speaks for the interests of the cow calf sector.

[amazed]

Does anyone else have a better answer for getting the border open? Those new Canadian plants are a long ways off.

I would be interested in someone explaining how we will hang on until then without the US border opening to Canadian live cattle.

[cowman]

Amazed: Nope! I guess that is the deal, or at least I sure hope so! If we sold our selves out for nothing we're going to look pretty stupid!
Now I'm looking at this from a pretty personal viewpoint as I intend to leave the industry fairly soon. I don't know if I'd feel the same way if I intended to stay in for several years. So for me it works for others it might not.

[cakadu]

The way I look at this, it is sort of like the hinting around at marriage. Unless you have a ring, a date and a minister booked, there isn't any wedding.

What do we have from the Americans? Is it wishful thinking on our part?

[rsomer]

The border was going to open anyway. The feedlots have been trying for 10 years to gain unrestricted access to U.S. feeders and damn the consequences for the Canadian cow calf producer. BSE was just an excuse to push this through.

[amazed]

It seems in life you always have to give a little to get something back. I'm not thrilled with the change but it is easy to see how it was viewed as a non-scientific trade barrier.

If we keep complaining about the Americans keeping the border closed despite the science of BSE are we not being hypocrits by doing the same with anaplas and bluetongue?

Or do we need a bit of cheese with our whine?

[cakadu]

Once again we are looking at short term economics at the expense of long term sustainability.

Who says that the science didn't work? Did we have these diseases in this country prior to now? Tell me what logic there is in saying that because these diseases are, the science didn't work?

Amazed, where is the guarantee that this will have ANY effect at all on how soon the Americans will open the border? I am not even in the cattle business and I can see the potential pitfalls here.

How will this benefit Canadian cow/calf producers that need to sell their feeders somewhere? The long ago prediction that I heard about Canada becoming a feedlot for the Americans looks like it is becoming more of a reality every day.

[cakadu]

Sorry, that 3rd paragraph should read that because the diseases aren't here, the science didn't work?

There is also the fact that they are not potentially harmful to humans - that we know of, but what about the animals themselves? Shouldn't we be trying to do what is right for them as well?