Third Canadian Cow in Past 20 Months BSE-Positive; Canada Must Immediately
Implement Mandatory Testing
BILLINGS, MONT. (January 3, 2005) The Canadian Food Inspection Agency
(CFIA) on Sunday confirmed that yet another native dairy cow from Alberta,
Canada, has tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has stated that cattle
infected with BSE typically exhibit symptoms four to six years after
infection, and 95 percent of BSE-infected cattle exhibit symptoms in less
than seven years. Original reports from Canada indicate this third
BSE-infected cow was 10 years old, but the CFIA confirmed on December 31st
that this native Canadian cow actually was only 8 years old.
"Based on USDA's own description of the incubation period for BSE, this
native Canadian cow most likely became infected with BSE after Canada
implemented its meat-and-bone meal (MBM) feed ban in 1997, suggesting that
Canada's MBM feed ban was not enforced," said Bill Bullard, R-CALF USA CEO.
Canada has undergone a limited testing program, testing only 21,501 cattle
in 2004, compared to 175,875 cattle the U.S. has tested, even though no
domestic U.S. cattle have ever tested positive for BSE.
"This is the third confirmed case of BSE in native Canadian cattle found in
less than two years, and all three native Canadian BSE-infected cattle were
found using only very limited BSE testing," Bullard said. "This demonstrates
that the true prevalence of BSE in Canada is likely to be much higher than
previously assumed, and USDA is dangerously premature in its efforts to
relax U.S. health and safety standards by forcing Canadian cattle under 30
months of age - and Canadian beef from cattle of all ages - to be allowed
into the U.S. beginning March 7th."
USDA states that Canada plans to BSE test 30,000 head of cattle in 2005,
enabling Canada to statistically detect one case of BSE in one million adult
cattle. But BSE already has been detected in three Canadian cows in just the
past 20 months, with Canada testing far fewer than 30,000 cattle during the
entire period.
"This means Canada's BSE prevalence is most likely far greater than USDA
seems to believe, and further calls into question USDA's departure from
international BSE health and safety standards, which would not allow Canada
to be classified as a minimal-risk country," said Bullard.
"We are deeply concerned that despite the known and expanding prevalence of
BSE within its domestic cattle herd, Canada continues testing only cattle
that already exhibit BSE disease symptoms," Bullard continued. "This means
Canada is taking no effective steps to use sound, established, scientific
BSE testing procedures to prevent BSE-infected cattle from entering its
human food system by detecting BSE before the visible symptoms develop. We
believe Canada should follow a much more rigorous testing program to
determine the prevalence of BSE in its cattle herd to protect its consumers
and to prevent the spread of this disease.
"It is critically important for everyone to understand this is Canada's
third publicly acknowledged case of BSE in a native Canadian cow in the past
20 months, not its second case," Bullard emphasized. "The United States has
never detected a BSE-positive animal in our domestic cattle herd. U.S.
cattle producers are asking the media to help correct the misperception that
the United States has ever had a case of BSE in our native cattle herd. The
BSE cow found in the U.S. in December 2003 was not part of the U.S. native
cattle herd, but was a cow imported from Canada's native cattle herd.
"U.S. cattle producers also ask the media to help the U.S. cattle industry
overcome the damaging effects caused by those who reference 'North American
cases of BSE,'" Bullard said. "The U.S. has never detected BSE in its native
herd, and neither has Mexico ever detected BSE in its native herd.
"Only Canada, and the multi-national meatpackers - with plants throughout
North America - keep describing Canada's BSE problem as a 'North American
herd' problem, and it's in these multi-national meatpackers' financial
interests to consolidate the U.S. cattle herd, at the expense of both
consumers and U.S. cattle producers," Bullard continued. "But this goal is
not in the interest of consumers in the United States or abroad, who should
realize that all BSE cases found in North America occurred in cattle from
Canada - despite its minimal testing program - not cattle from the United
States - despite our much larger testing programs - nor cattle from Mexico.
"It is Canada, and Canada alone, that has found - not once, but three times
- that its herd carries BSE, while the United States' and Mexican herds show
no such BSE risks," Bullard said.
Here are the facts: It is undisputed that Canada discovered its first
clinical case of BSE in 1993 when a cow imported from Great Britain in 1987
tested positive for the disease. Canada announced on May 20, 2003, that
another cow tested positive for the disease. Then, on Dec. 23, 2003, U.S.
Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman announced the discovery of a BSE-positive
cow in Washington state - a Canadian cow that was imported into the United
States. And now, another BSE-positive cow, discovered again, in Canada.
"According to CFIA, the Canadian government is now looking at this Alberta
cow's offspring and cattle born on the same farm within a year of the
infected animal," Bullard said. "And although CFIA says the cow likely was
infected before the 1997 feed ban went into effect, and that it's launching
an investigation into what kind of feed the animal consumed early in its
life, that still means the cow was infected when it was quite young, and
carried the BSE-agent all this time, proving that even young Canadian cattle
are potentially infected, while the U.S. continues to accept boneless cuts
of beef from young Canadian cattle.
"This means importing cattle and beef from Canada should not be considered
any less hazardous than importing cattle and beef from many BSE-positive
European countries, and these imports could possibly be more hazardous,"
Bullard continued. "Not only should USDA immediately withdraw its rule to
resume cattle and beef trade with Canada, it should also immediately halt
all imports of Canadian boneless beef from animals under 30 months of age,
at least until it requires Canadian beef to be labeled so consumers can
choose how much risk they want to assume when buying beef not tested for BSE
from Canada, especially since Canada has recently - and formally -
acknowledged several cases of BSE.
"There is a serious BSE problem in Canada and there has been no comparable
problem in the United States," Bullard added. "USDA must require Canada to
begin mandatory BSE testing for all Canadian cattle over 20 months of age,
so the prevalence of BSE in native Canadian cattle can be determined and
appropriate steps taken to help Canada eradicate BSE from its cattle herd,
rather than to put our consumers at risk or risk spreading the disease to
the U.S. cattle herd."
# # #
R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of
America) represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on domestic and
international trade and marketing issues. R-CALF USA, a national, non-profit
organization, is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and
viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA's membership consists
primarily of cow-calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and feedlot owners.
Its members - over 11,000 strong - are located in 46 states, and the
organization has over 60 local and state association affiliates, from both
cattle and farm organizations. Various main street businesses are associate
members of R-CALF USA. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or,
call 406-252-2516.
R-CALF USA Member Alert
(This is not a news release)
To: R-CALF USA Members and Affiliates
From: Bill Bullard, CEO, R-CALF USA
Date: January 1, 2005
Subject: Happy New Year! We Must Immediately Prepare to Protect Your U.S. Cattle Industry
Background: It is official: USDA has set March 7, 2005 as the date to reintroduce Canadian live cattle under 30 months of age and Canadian beef from cattle of all ages into the United States. This action is being taken while:
80 percent of U.S. export markets remain closed;
Canadian news reports Canada has been violating its own feed ban;
Canada’s BSE protection measures are significantly inferior to any other country in the world where BSE is known to exist; and
USDA projects its action will cause losses to U.S. cattle producers ranging from $2.8 billion to $3 billion annually.
USDA is proceeding in the absence of science. It is making the United States a dumping ground for products that do not meet minimal international standards and products our own export customers find unacceptable. These Canadian products will not be required to be labeled, so consumers will not be able to choose between U.S. or Canadian beef. This action will devalue the U.S. cattle industry.
Status: Because of your involvement and financial support, R-CALF USA already demonstrated it can overturn the improper actions of the USDA. Last April we won a landmark court case blocking USDA from allowing high-risk Canadian beef and live cattle into the U.S. until the agency completed its rulemaking. Here is the successful strategy we executed last year:
1. We mounted a comprehensive legal challenge, which included expert declarations from university economists, disease risk assessment scientists, and scientists in the field of animal health.
2. We mounted an effective lobbying campaign where R-CALF USA members convinced Congress to begin holding investigative hearings into the actions of USDA.
3. We mounted a successful public opinion campaign and convinced the nation’s largest consumer groups to support the position of the U.S. cattle industry and to inform their over 50 million consumer-members about the improper actions of USDA.
With your continued involvement and financial support, we will win again!
Action: Last year R-CALF USA members raised the nearly $600,000 it took to execute the above strategy and to protect your U.S. cattle industry. It was your individual checks that made it happen. We must do this again in 2005, right now!
R-CALF USA has already begun replicating the successful, three-part strategy described above so we will, again, succeed in overturning USDA’s improper action. We are using the same lead attorneys and the same scientists.
How effective we will be in our three-part strategy depends on how much money we can raise immediately – we need to start right now.
Again, R-CALF USA is asking each member to contribute $100 or more to the R-CALF USA legal fund. Please send your contributions to:
Make checks payable to: R-CALF USA legal fund
Mail to: R-CALF USA
Legal Fund
P.O. Box 30715
Billings, MT 59107
With your help, we will win this fight! Please check your e-mails at least weekly while we’re getting started. We will soon begin sending you fact sheets and talking points and will be asking for your assistance in getting the right message to your congressional members and to the public.
Please distribute this message to all your contacts. Thanks to all of you for our tremendous success last year. Let’s have another great year! We’ll be in touch
Implement Mandatory Testing
BILLINGS, MONT. (January 3, 2005) The Canadian Food Inspection Agency
(CFIA) on Sunday confirmed that yet another native dairy cow from Alberta,
Canada, has tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has stated that cattle
infected with BSE typically exhibit symptoms four to six years after
infection, and 95 percent of BSE-infected cattle exhibit symptoms in less
than seven years. Original reports from Canada indicate this third
BSE-infected cow was 10 years old, but the CFIA confirmed on December 31st
that this native Canadian cow actually was only 8 years old.
"Based on USDA's own description of the incubation period for BSE, this
native Canadian cow most likely became infected with BSE after Canada
implemented its meat-and-bone meal (MBM) feed ban in 1997, suggesting that
Canada's MBM feed ban was not enforced," said Bill Bullard, R-CALF USA CEO.
Canada has undergone a limited testing program, testing only 21,501 cattle
in 2004, compared to 175,875 cattle the U.S. has tested, even though no
domestic U.S. cattle have ever tested positive for BSE.
"This is the third confirmed case of BSE in native Canadian cattle found in
less than two years, and all three native Canadian BSE-infected cattle were
found using only very limited BSE testing," Bullard said. "This demonstrates
that the true prevalence of BSE in Canada is likely to be much higher than
previously assumed, and USDA is dangerously premature in its efforts to
relax U.S. health and safety standards by forcing Canadian cattle under 30
months of age - and Canadian beef from cattle of all ages - to be allowed
into the U.S. beginning March 7th."
USDA states that Canada plans to BSE test 30,000 head of cattle in 2005,
enabling Canada to statistically detect one case of BSE in one million adult
cattle. But BSE already has been detected in three Canadian cows in just the
past 20 months, with Canada testing far fewer than 30,000 cattle during the
entire period.
"This means Canada's BSE prevalence is most likely far greater than USDA
seems to believe, and further calls into question USDA's departure from
international BSE health and safety standards, which would not allow Canada
to be classified as a minimal-risk country," said Bullard.
"We are deeply concerned that despite the known and expanding prevalence of
BSE within its domestic cattle herd, Canada continues testing only cattle
that already exhibit BSE disease symptoms," Bullard continued. "This means
Canada is taking no effective steps to use sound, established, scientific
BSE testing procedures to prevent BSE-infected cattle from entering its
human food system by detecting BSE before the visible symptoms develop. We
believe Canada should follow a much more rigorous testing program to
determine the prevalence of BSE in its cattle herd to protect its consumers
and to prevent the spread of this disease.
"It is critically important for everyone to understand this is Canada's
third publicly acknowledged case of BSE in a native Canadian cow in the past
20 months, not its second case," Bullard emphasized. "The United States has
never detected a BSE-positive animal in our domestic cattle herd. U.S.
cattle producers are asking the media to help correct the misperception that
the United States has ever had a case of BSE in our native cattle herd. The
BSE cow found in the U.S. in December 2003 was not part of the U.S. native
cattle herd, but was a cow imported from Canada's native cattle herd.
"U.S. cattle producers also ask the media to help the U.S. cattle industry
overcome the damaging effects caused by those who reference 'North American
cases of BSE,'" Bullard said. "The U.S. has never detected BSE in its native
herd, and neither has Mexico ever detected BSE in its native herd.
"Only Canada, and the multi-national meatpackers - with plants throughout
North America - keep describing Canada's BSE problem as a 'North American
herd' problem, and it's in these multi-national meatpackers' financial
interests to consolidate the U.S. cattle herd, at the expense of both
consumers and U.S. cattle producers," Bullard continued. "But this goal is
not in the interest of consumers in the United States or abroad, who should
realize that all BSE cases found in North America occurred in cattle from
Canada - despite its minimal testing program - not cattle from the United
States - despite our much larger testing programs - nor cattle from Mexico.
"It is Canada, and Canada alone, that has found - not once, but three times
- that its herd carries BSE, while the United States' and Mexican herds show
no such BSE risks," Bullard said.
Here are the facts: It is undisputed that Canada discovered its first
clinical case of BSE in 1993 when a cow imported from Great Britain in 1987
tested positive for the disease. Canada announced on May 20, 2003, that
another cow tested positive for the disease. Then, on Dec. 23, 2003, U.S.
Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman announced the discovery of a BSE-positive
cow in Washington state - a Canadian cow that was imported into the United
States. And now, another BSE-positive cow, discovered again, in Canada.
"According to CFIA, the Canadian government is now looking at this Alberta
cow's offspring and cattle born on the same farm within a year of the
infected animal," Bullard said. "And although CFIA says the cow likely was
infected before the 1997 feed ban went into effect, and that it's launching
an investigation into what kind of feed the animal consumed early in its
life, that still means the cow was infected when it was quite young, and
carried the BSE-agent all this time, proving that even young Canadian cattle
are potentially infected, while the U.S. continues to accept boneless cuts
of beef from young Canadian cattle.
"This means importing cattle and beef from Canada should not be considered
any less hazardous than importing cattle and beef from many BSE-positive
European countries, and these imports could possibly be more hazardous,"
Bullard continued. "Not only should USDA immediately withdraw its rule to
resume cattle and beef trade with Canada, it should also immediately halt
all imports of Canadian boneless beef from animals under 30 months of age,
at least until it requires Canadian beef to be labeled so consumers can
choose how much risk they want to assume when buying beef not tested for BSE
from Canada, especially since Canada has recently - and formally -
acknowledged several cases of BSE.
"There is a serious BSE problem in Canada and there has been no comparable
problem in the United States," Bullard added. "USDA must require Canada to
begin mandatory BSE testing for all Canadian cattle over 20 months of age,
so the prevalence of BSE in native Canadian cattle can be determined and
appropriate steps taken to help Canada eradicate BSE from its cattle herd,
rather than to put our consumers at risk or risk spreading the disease to
the U.S. cattle herd."
# # #
R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of
America) represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on domestic and
international trade and marketing issues. R-CALF USA, a national, non-profit
organization, is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and
viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA's membership consists
primarily of cow-calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and feedlot owners.
Its members - over 11,000 strong - are located in 46 states, and the
organization has over 60 local and state association affiliates, from both
cattle and farm organizations. Various main street businesses are associate
members of R-CALF USA. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or,
call 406-252-2516.
R-CALF USA Member Alert
(This is not a news release)
To: R-CALF USA Members and Affiliates
From: Bill Bullard, CEO, R-CALF USA
Date: January 1, 2005
Subject: Happy New Year! We Must Immediately Prepare to Protect Your U.S. Cattle Industry
Background: It is official: USDA has set March 7, 2005 as the date to reintroduce Canadian live cattle under 30 months of age and Canadian beef from cattle of all ages into the United States. This action is being taken while:
80 percent of U.S. export markets remain closed;
Canadian news reports Canada has been violating its own feed ban;
Canada’s BSE protection measures are significantly inferior to any other country in the world where BSE is known to exist; and
USDA projects its action will cause losses to U.S. cattle producers ranging from $2.8 billion to $3 billion annually.
USDA is proceeding in the absence of science. It is making the United States a dumping ground for products that do not meet minimal international standards and products our own export customers find unacceptable. These Canadian products will not be required to be labeled, so consumers will not be able to choose between U.S. or Canadian beef. This action will devalue the U.S. cattle industry.
Status: Because of your involvement and financial support, R-CALF USA already demonstrated it can overturn the improper actions of the USDA. Last April we won a landmark court case blocking USDA from allowing high-risk Canadian beef and live cattle into the U.S. until the agency completed its rulemaking. Here is the successful strategy we executed last year:
1. We mounted a comprehensive legal challenge, which included expert declarations from university economists, disease risk assessment scientists, and scientists in the field of animal health.
2. We mounted an effective lobbying campaign where R-CALF USA members convinced Congress to begin holding investigative hearings into the actions of USDA.
3. We mounted a successful public opinion campaign and convinced the nation’s largest consumer groups to support the position of the U.S. cattle industry and to inform their over 50 million consumer-members about the improper actions of USDA.
With your continued involvement and financial support, we will win again!
Action: Last year R-CALF USA members raised the nearly $600,000 it took to execute the above strategy and to protect your U.S. cattle industry. It was your individual checks that made it happen. We must do this again in 2005, right now!
R-CALF USA has already begun replicating the successful, three-part strategy described above so we will, again, succeed in overturning USDA’s improper action. We are using the same lead attorneys and the same scientists.
How effective we will be in our three-part strategy depends on how much money we can raise immediately – we need to start right now.
Again, R-CALF USA is asking each member to contribute $100 or more to the R-CALF USA legal fund. Please send your contributions to:
Make checks payable to: R-CALF USA legal fund
Mail to: R-CALF USA
Legal Fund
P.O. Box 30715
Billings, MT 59107
With your help, we will win this fight! Please check your e-mails at least weekly while we’re getting started. We will soon begin sending you fact sheets and talking points and will be asking for your assistance in getting the right message to your congressional members and to the public.
Please distribute this message to all your contacts. Thanks to all of you for our tremendous success last year. Let’s have another great year! We’ll be in touch
Comment