Canada PM: US Feed Caused BSE/From DTN

[rain]

Canada PM: US Feed Caused BSE
07/08 12:16
WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--It was U.S. cattle feed that likely infected a Canadian cow with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad-cow disease, Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin said in a speech Wednesday.

Martin, according to a transcript of the speech given at a convention in Idaho, said, "When BSE...was discovered in a Canadian cow, some chose to ignore the fact that in all probability, the feed that gave it the disease came from the United States and consequently, the border was closed."

The U.S., along with most importing countries, banned Canadian beef and cattle in May 2003, when Canada announced it found a BSE-infected animal. Since then the U.S. has eased its ban on some Canadian beef and continues to consider a proposal to allow in Canadian live cattle, so long as they are under 30 months of age. (DB)


I wonder how the US is going to respond to this statement. I am curious however if our PM even knows what a cow looks like?

[kato]

Where did you find this story? I'd like to read more.

[rain]

That is all there is. I took it off my DTN

[rain]

kato remember our PM may knows a lot about B.S., I am not sure he knows anything about BSE.

I have tried to find more on this story and have had no luck. The PM if I heard properly is at some kind of trade meetings in Idaho.

There was some talk early on in the BSE crisis of tainted milk replacer from the US being a source for the disease.

I am sure this is just the uninformed saying nothing but trying to look good.

[kato]

I would like to hear the reaction from the American audience.

I bet there was some discussion.

[rain]

Canadian PM says BSE cow likely contaminated by US feed


At a conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, this week, Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin criticized US actions after BSE was discovered in a Canadian cow in May 2003. "Some chose to ignore the fact that in all probability, the feed that gave it the disease came from the United States and consequently, the border was closed," he said.

Martin blamed special interests for blocking the US government from a joint solution. "Beef prices are at an all-time high because Canadian beef is no longer coming in and they are enjoying very high profits, and obviously, in a year in which there is a US election, there is huge pressure being brought to essentially keep that border closed," he said.

In the long run, Martin said it's the US beef industry that will suffer unless the border is fully opened, because Canada will have no choice but to build massive processing facilities there.

"When the market opens, you’re going to have huge overcapacity in processing, a lot of it north of the border competing with you here. If the border does not open, then that processing capacity is going to go and start direct shipments to Japan and Korea, who are your major markets," Martin said.

Both the US and Canada would benefit from a truly integrated North American cattle market, he said. "When you begin to tamper with that market, what you then do is effectively hurt both of us."

Canadian, US BSE rules expected tomorrow

Tomorrow, simultaneous announcements are expected from US Food and Drug Administration Acting Commissioner Larry Crawford and Canadian Agriculture Minister Bob Speller. They will both announce guidelines to protect food and animal feed from mad cow disease. 07/08/2004 01:45 p.m.CDT

Here is some more.

[cswilson]

Talk about playing into R-Calf's hands the closed border is just one small factor driving the U.S. cattle prices upward(540lb calves 2.02 Can. this week). for our PM to claim the closed border is only reason is stupidity wish he'd just shut up.

[rsomer]

I think this is a very significant message from a Canadian Prime Minister. I expect to see more pressure such as this from our government as a small window of opportunity for the border to open in August comes up. Martin is definately laying it out for the Americans, it is time to open the border.

[rsomer]

Instead of threatening the USA with statements about building packing plants, why does he not simply help us to build them. The advantages as so obvious from a trade standpoint, value added standpoint, and employment opportunities.
I don't know if we should shut this dodo up wilson; maybe hit him with some information about the Saskatchewan plant while he has a bit of cow floating around in his brain.

[kato]

This is the statement that will get their attention.

"In the long run, Martin said it's the US beef industry that will suffer unless the border is fully opened, because Canada will have no choice but to build massive processing facilities there.

"When the market opens, you’re going to have huge overcapacity in processing, a lot of it north of the border competing with you here. If the border does not open, then that processing capacity is going to go and start direct shipments to Japan and Korea, who are your major markets," Martin said."

He's telling them, in long winded political talk that if they snooze they lose, because we're going to be able to beat them at the export game.

There's nothing those guys hate more than having someone beat them at anything. We've got an edge in currency, quality, traceback, and are hungry enough to do whatever it takes. They won't like that at all.

I think they've thrashed the other one about the high prices down there so long it's losing it's punch.

Oh ya, and just as I've always said, any news will come out on a Friday.

[cswilson]

Well as long as he sticks to the facts and doesn't pull the good old R-Calf lie and twist.

[rusty1]

The US news reported that there was 7 feed plants in the north west US that recieved sitations just weeks before our cow was found in Washington. Some asked our beauracrates to charge the US to prove that she had BSE from here but no one had the gonads to make that an issue.

[ALICIA]

When the cow went down last year it was proven that the feed came from two plants in Alberta, and they went all the way back and killed cattle in Sask that had not made contacked in over 6 or better years. So that means that the additives like mineral and proten was shiped in from the US. If that is the case, what else have we not been told. I'll tell you one thing that Aberdean ranch that had to help load his herd of new calves and cows to be killed, I hope he sue's the goverment for millions because that means that the killing to 2700 head was needless. And our PM addmited it.
I don't see the point of bringing that at this late date. It just makes me angree and upset because that is just another way of telling me that as individuals we don't mean anything.

[rsomer]

Martin also made the following speech on BSE last Wednesday, July 7 where Martin tied trade to border security.

Canadian prime minister addresses trade, security
The Associated Press

SUN VALLEY -- Paul Martin, the newly elected prime minister of Canada, told business executives at a high-powered media conference here Wednesday that Canada and the United States needed to resolve several lingering trade disputes for the sake of preserving confidence in the North American economy.

Speaking with reporters shortly before his speech, Martin said he would stress the importance not only of trade relations between the two neighboring countries but also improving security.

"We cannot continue with some of the ongoing problems, whether it be softwood lumber and BSE," he said, referring to mad cow disease, "without it eventually having an effect on confidence in the North American market."

"We've got to find a way in which disputes can not only be settled but settled permanently," he said.

On the issue of security, he said he would tell the executives that "the more efficient North America is, the more efficient they [secure borders]will be."

See: http://www.magicvalley.com/news/business/index.asp?StoryID=5627

[rain]

Alicia nothing was proved as to even if feed was the culprit. Their is no proof of how, where, when or what the single case of BSE in Canada was from. They assume it was from feed. CFIA can not prove 100% the cause of our single case of BSE.

Even if they could prove it was from meat byproducts made in Edmonton they can not prove the offal was Canadian or US in origin.

Even if it was from feed it could not be from minerals only proteins could be the carrier.

All it would have taken is petfood in a barn swept into a pile that a calf/cow ate.