Nov 2 elections

[Horse]

Word out today that the border wont open until after the nov election in good old excited states Wonder what that will do to the heavy calves coming to market now will see tomorow in Nielsons I guess. There have been numerous guesses up till now and many more to come i suspect.

[rusty1]

Horse - I have always wondered, with the industry reeling like it is why prople still take cattle to Nelsons after they raised their rated this past year?

[rsomer]

Although the public does not know for sure, it is very unlikely that the the border will still be closed by November 2, 2004. The economic impact on U.S. interests would be too great.
We are one day away from the closing of the USDA comment period. Japan is rumoured to have already reached an agreement with the U.S. on allowing imports of beef to Japan but are waiting until after April 7 for an announcement. Martin has announced he is planning to meet with Bush late April, early May. I would expect an announcement of when the U.S. would resume live cattle trade with Canada possibly during that visit or shortly after, no later than May 20, 2004 with significant volumes of cattle entering the U.S. by the end of June.

[Incognito]

UPDATE 1-Japan says no end to US beef ban before May--USDA


2004-04-06 15:17:24 GMT (Reuters)

(Adds U.S. meat industry reaction, paragraphs 3-7 new)

WASHINGTON, April 6 (Reuters) - Japan cannot end its ban on imports of U.S beef before May unless the United States "implements the same measures as we do" to prevent mad cow disease, the Japanese agriculture minister said in a letter made public on Tuesday.

Agriculture Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei's letter said the two nations needed to reach a consensus on how to assure beef is safe from the brain-wasting disease, but it did not repeat Japan's previous demand that all U.S. beef it imports be tested.

U.S. meat industry officials noted the letter did not mention 100 percent testing of U.S. cattle -- potentially an encouraging sign -- but said there has been no overt change in position.

Kamei said in the letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman that "careful discussions are necessary" to assess the U.S. risk of mad cow disease. Japan shut off imports of U.S. beef following the Dec. 23 announcement of the first U.S. case of mad cow, formally named bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

"Therefore, I think it is impossible to conclude this issue by the end of April unless the United States implements the same measures as we do," Kamei wrote, according to a provisional translation by USDA.

American officials say 100 percent testing is unnecessary because BSE is found only in older animals. They say U.S. beef is safe because animal scraps are banned in cattle feed and meat packers are required to keep brains, spinal cords and other central nervous system tissue from cattle over 30 months of age out of the food supply.

Japan was the No. 1 market for U.S. beef exports until the BSE case. Dozens of other nations have also banned U.S. beef.

[Horse]

Rusyt1 I didnt say I was taking any animals to Neilsons but there is almost no alternative north of Ponoka that is not Neilsons they control enough cattle to make a sale without producer cattle and it does give an idea of price as long as you dont just look at the high ones.
The idea that the border wont open was from some of the election watchers in the US as the economic impact to opening is much the same as keeping it closed as there will be people hurt no matter it all depends on who they feel like protecting.

[kato]

The whole world is watching how the Americans treat us, so they can set the same standards in their treatment of the U.S.

Hopefully someone down there has the smarts to know that.

[amazed]

Exactly right KATO. There are many down there who know opening the border is the right thing to do.

If it hadn't been for Dec. 23 it would have been open most of the way already.

[cowman]

The real scary part is Bush is probably our best hope to open the border! The Democrats seem to think nothing should enter their country...talk about protectionists!
Look at that Democratic senator from Montana? Like what is with this guy? Does he have one clue about how much Alberta trades with them? About how Alberta built the only decent road in the whole darned state...the road from Coutts to Shelby...paid for by the Alberta taxpayer! Maybe we should be writing this brightlight a letter?

[rsomer]

http://www.kla.org/pastnews.htm#Thursday

CHENEY TO DISCUSS BEEF TRADE WITH JAPAN
Japanese officials are reporting Vice President Dick Cheney will discuss Japan's import ban on U.S. beef when he meets with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi next week in Tokyo. Japan recently rejected a U.S. proposal to turn the beef trade dispute over to the World Organization for Animal Health.

Japan banned all U.S. beef imports December 23 when BSE was discovered in a single Washington state cow. The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture continues to insist that testing of all animals and removal of specific risk materials are conditions for entry of U.S. beef products. International experts and USDA agree there is no scientific basis for 100% testing.

U.S. Ag Secretary Ann Veneman said USDA has shared results of her agency's extensive BSE investigation, including an aggressive response plan strengthening U.S. efforts to prevent the disease.

"We urge the government of Japan to agree to consultation and to assure its measures are consistent with its international commitments as a member of the World Trade Organization," said Veneman.

Cheney's tour of Asia is scheduled to begin Friday and last through the middle of next week. The success of his discussions on beef will have a sizable impact on the U.S. beef industry, which relied on Japan as its top export customer last year.