This is government support? NOT

[kato]

For immediate release June 21, 2004


Nothing but Liberal Lip Service for Beef Producers
While Canadian beef producers struggle to make ends meet the Liberals buy their beef from Uruguay

Ottawa: Conservative Party MP Bob Mills presented proof today that the Liberal government has been talking out of both sides of its mouth on the issue of promoting Canadian beef. Mills revealed that the Liberal government has been buying beef from Uruguay and feeding it to inmates at the Bowden Institution in Bowden, Alberta.

“Farmers and ranchers in my riding and all across Canada have been losing their farms for years due to drought, feed shortages and now BSE. What a slap in the face to know that during these trying times the Liberal government has been buying beef from a foreign country and feeding it to federal inmates. I ask the Prime Minister: Is this how he supports the Canadian beef industry?” said Mills.

“There are minimal measures that the government could have taken to support our producers, and buying their beef should have been among the first. I’m amazed that they continue to hang our Canadian beef industry out to dry.”

[kato]

I've already emailed P.Martin and B.Speller.

I suggest everyone else do the same.

Paul Martin <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Bob Speller <spellerb@agr.gc.ca>

I can't believe how angry that press release made me. Getting positively cranky lately.

[kato]

the addresses didn't post! How odd.

Paul Martin pm@pm.gc.ca
Bob Speller spellerb@agr.gc.ca

[rsomer]

I phoned Bowden Institution and talked to the Deputy Warden to find out what really happened. Here are the facts: Bowden Institution produces its own beef from a herd of 574 head on its premises. This herd supplies beef for Bowden and a few other Correctional Facilities as well. In April of 2003, one month before our BSE crisis, 50 cases of beef were ordered from an outside supplier. This is the beef Bob Mills is referring to. It is not standard procedure to purchase beef for the institution, it only happens in unusual circumstances if their own beef is not ready.

June 7, 2003 Canada changed its policy to restrict allowing supplementary permits over the 76,409 tonnes of non NAFTA beef. This change was expected to impact Uruguay the most although imports of beef from Uruguay could still occur if the importer pays a 26.5% tariff.

[cowman]

Quite frankly this just isn't acceptable... BSE or no BSE! Why would our government be buying foreign product when we can produce it here?
I really truly doubt it has anything to do with price. The freight would probably be more than the beef is worth! Probably has more to do with who is doing the importing? I'll bet you dollars to donuts that it is some Quebec firm! Do you ever wonder how come this country has gone to hell in a hand basket? The answer is too many darned foxes in the hen house!

[WoolyBear]

If I remember correctly....... The Canadian Armed Forces outfit in Afghanistan had to throw out and reorder their steaks when BSE was discovered last year. They were also to source their beef needs from the US suppliers as technically, they were under US supervision over there.......

Gee if the Taliban doesn't get you........ the beef might

[InAHurry]

I find it hard to believe they could not find some domestic beef that fit their need (of not having finished cattle of their own at the specific needed time).

I did find this comment on an American message/forum board which may have some truth to it (as much as that hurts to admit)
"its the shits when canada won't even use its own meat, why would we want to? "

[kato]

I reeled off a letter to Paul Martin and Bob Speller telling them what that American said.

It was a rather cranky letter.

It's good to vent once in a while.

[rsomer]

Cowman: I noted your comment that the beef was probably imported by some Quebec firm. Check out http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/trade/eicb/agric/Beef_VealQHList04-en.asp for a list of firms that can import beef into Canada from non NAFTA countries. Included in the list is firms such as Canada Safeway, Carvelle Foods (supplier to McDonalds), ConAgra Grocery Products, H.J. Heinz of Canada, Campbell Soup Company and yes Cargill Foods of High River Alberta. They all import beef into this country.

Alberta firms that import beef from Uruguay, New Zealand and Australia include Athena Domair Disributors, Multi National Foods, Capital Packers Limited, Centennial Food Corporation, Precision Trading Limited, Edmonton Meat Packing Limited, Westbrook Trading Company Limited and Western Quality Meats. There is no need to look to a Quebec firm to import this beef, there are lots of companies right here at home that will be glad to do it for you. We are eating imported beef all the time and never know it.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade has issued no supplementary permits for beef since it announced its restrictions June 2003. Imports of beef into Canada in 2004 are 60% less than during the same time in 2003, most of which occurred prior to May 20. The majority of this beef comes from New Zealand and Uruguay. Australian beef is going to Japan.

It is particularly distressing to know these countries are importing beef into Canada yet they would ban our beef from their countries. For that matter the U.S. is little better, we are accepting their bone in beef yet they ban ours.

We need to remember that the problem we as producers are facing is not competition for domestic markets but lack of packing space. Trying to stop these imports would only put more money into the pockets of the packers, it would not get one more cow killed. The price the packers pay us is a result of artificial price fixing and bears no relationship to the value of boxed beef or any supply and demand fundamentals.

Our problem is not New Zealand and Uruguay. It is Cargill and Tyson Foods.

See also: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/trade/eicb/agric/beef-en.asp

[pandiana]

Thanks for the research, rsomer.

[cowman]

Well rsomer, once again you amaze me with your ability to find the facts. But my basic contention that this beef shouldn't be coming here still stands. I agree totally with you about not letting in any beef from countries that won't accept our beef!
You have a very good grasp of this industry today and I for one want to thank you for keeping this old guy informed!
You shouldn't be too hard on the boys who want to stir the pot! They have to do something...their life is draining away before their eyes!
Hope you're getting lots of rain out there and the grass and crops are going to finally be okay. Hope the darned hoppers died off this year.

[rusty1]

About packing plants. I had a supplyer of manufacturing products tell me this morning that when Lakeside was sold to you know who. All Canadian made products were cut of. They only buy supplies from US owned companies.