USDA broke the rules AGAIN

[Willowcreek]

North Dakota Senator (D) Kent Conrad Friday said the failure of the US Department of Agriculture to properly notify Congress of its intent to open the border to Canadian live cattle and beef trade, will result in a delay of the March 7 implementation.

Conrad made the comments in a release posted on his web site.

Senator Conrad found out about the Agriculture Department's failure to follow the law for rulemaking when he sought to file a "resolution of disapproval" that would overturn the USDA rule to open the border.

"We were promised by USDA that they had followed the letter of the law in writing this rule. We found out they had not followed the law when we attempted to file this 'resolution of disapproval,'" Senator Conrad said in a statement. "It is our belief that they cannot enact this rule until they go through the process that is required by law. This is a good development. The evidence is strong that Canada is failing to protect both consumers and the American beef industry."

Senator Conrad, a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, in the release said he has urged Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns to reconsider the "minimal risk" ruling, citing Canada's feed ban violations.

USDA has been unwilling to review its ruling.

Conrad's statement also indicated that a series of Canadian newspaper reports recently cited government tests that discovered animal tissue in more than half the "vegetable-only" cattle feed.

"This raises questions as to whether rules designed to prevent the feeding of cattle remains to other cattle the primary way in which mad cow disease is spread are being routinely violated in Canada," he said.

Senator Conrad's "resolution of disapproval" has been cosponsored by Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Harry Reid (D-NV), Craig Thomas (R-WY), Pete Domenici (R-NM), Max Baucus (D-MT), Ken Salazar (D-CO), Tim Johnson (D-SD), and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM).

[kato]

Could we expect anything else from our 'good neighbour' to the south?

He's made a career out of anti-Canadian policy. To stand back and let the border open without harrassment would be very uncharacteristic of him and his cronies.

[WoolyBear]

Conrad is just a plain old Bully..... He could blow it out his .......... and I'm sure he would still think his...... don't stink. He's Pro COOL, anti Canadian wheat, anti Canadian Beef, he's just plain full of it! Its scare to think that he's still sitting on so many missles.

You may insert appropriat words and please excuse my "french".

[WoolyBear]

Hey....... I thought Dorgan was defeated in the last election? The rest of them are mostly Democrats that can't hold anything to the wind with the Rep. being so in majority. Isn't this mostly the same group that Hilary was hooked with before the election?

[InAHurry]

This Conrad fellow better get his office staff to dig through his papers for the official statement concerning the 'vegetable only' feed.

Oldtimer are you going to send emails to Fox network to do a story on this one also? Or will you contact Conrad and send him the real story? As a retired arm of the law I would expect nothing short of the truth from you LOL

[farmers_son]

Just a comment about the animal tissue found in the feed samples. The tests Willowcreek refers to were done on feed sample from imported as well as domestic feed. A percentage of samples, both imported and domestic were found to include animal tissues (45 imported samples were found to include animal tissue) based on microscopic examination. What the R-Calf people forget to mention that the likely source of these animal tissues was grasshoppers, mice and so forth.

See: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/feebet/rumin/microe.shtml

[Joe-2]

Hey Willowcreek!!! When are you going to realize ,that no matter how many times you pick up that same old turd and throw it again,it just ain't gonna stick??? Get over it!!!LOL!!
The part that you and your buddies seem to be oblivious to, is the fact that the samples that did contain "unidentified animal protein" were not designated as CATTLE feed and until the product is labled as such it can be legally LOADED WITH HOLSTEIN BRAINS!!!!! I would think that a former law officer would be a little more aware of what the hell he was talking about.

[Willowcreek]

joe-2-- I didn't write the article- This came from the Senators office-- Or maybe you don't want to know what is happening--want to play the old Canadian trick-- don't ask, don't tell... Stick your head in the sand and not know whats happening in the outside world...

Is that how Canada gave up their entire cattle and beef industry identity?????

[blackjack]

...you could be right willowcreek...our government let two greedy american corps come to buy up our industry...and then have r-laugh kill there packer competition (in your own country)and then complain more about capitive cattle...willowcreek your words might mean something if your r-calf buddies wouldn't have been up here buying our tainted beef...other than to profit themselves but to watch other fellow ranchers go broke...oldtimer you might think you can stop the Canadian beef but 98% of your consumers are wanting cheap food and our governments(both yours and mine) will supply it for them...

[Joe-2]

Well pardon me!! I didn't realize that you posted that article with the sole intent of merely informing your Canadian friends about the latest misinformation that some of your senators are spewing out. My mistake and thanks for the heads-up!!
Maybe you could be a pal and phone up those people and point out the all the half-truths in their statements ,as I know that they have been pointed out to you on more than one occasion.After all we wouldn't want to stick our heads in the sand by letting less than true information circulate,would we?

[FRENCHMAN]

Oldtimer up to your old tricks again eh.

[Willowcreek]

Just heard on the radio- The Senate Parliamentarian finally was able to find where the USDA had filed the paperwork notifying the Senate of their intent to open the border-- This gave Senator Conrad the go ahead to file his joint resolution against USDA's rules......
Apparently USDA was not too proud of their rules and were trying to pull another sneaky-- they had stapled the proposed Border rule change notice to the backside of a proposal on tangerines...

[cowman]

It seems to me that the border is a "done deal" and R-CALF and Conrad are just wasting their time? I guess Conrad has to play the game so the good old boys will keep him at the trough! Unfortunately, I suspect a lot of American ranchers are probably going to be throwing money to the lawyers in a lost cause? However it is their nickel and I guess they can waste it however they like! I don't think they understand the "big picture"...maybe they need to get off the farm a bit more?

[rkaiser]

You are not kidding cowman. It's amazing when Oltimer talks of Canadians sticking their head in the sand. Rcalf has had it's head down there so long they have forgotten what the real world even looks like. Let me add to that - Rcalf's protectionist stand is the part I speak of. Thinking they can stop the world from turning by blocking trade is the notion that has lost Rcalf any credibility in my mind. Digging for every scap to accomplish this goal has led to deception and bed lying with groups out to destroy the industry. How can members ever think that this group of bafoons are their saviours. Of course producers need representation; our sytem demands it.

There is influence by the multinational packers on the USDA, which in turn influences the Canadian Government and our current Canadian industry leadership. Somehow producers need to be heard. But grasping at crap like Rcalf does only gives the powers that be more ammunition. If they don't use it now, they will save it in their arsenal for tommorow.

This border opening will prove the power of the AMI (Cargil Tyson and Conagra) and if the Canadian Governement is too bloody stupid to let things go back to the way they were prior to BSE with 80% or more of the packing industry controled by these folks we will have gained nothing as producers.

The OTM issue is the main concern in my mind. Yes AMI is behind blocking OTM boxed beef; they want the cows to fill thier plants south of the line. Even in the world of Multinationals, democracy can be useful. Cargil can't kill cows at High River without major renovation, and Swift doesn't have a plant. So they will block OTM boxed beef until they can
either build, or get the border open to cows.

None of these negotiations, and very little, if any, involve Rcalf, or even the membership of NCBA. This is all about the clout of Mutinational packers.

Rcalf is made to look like scapegoats one day and hero's the next simply to distract the attention of producers on both sides of the border.

[jensend]

oldtimer: Apparently USDA was not too proud of their rules and were trying to pull another sneaky-- they had stapled the proposed Border rule change notice to the backside of a proposal on tangerines...

so what you're saying is usda's technicality trumped your technicality. it's fun to watch hypocrisy in action. who's the bigger problem to the american cattleman; canadian cattle or the packers? forget the health thing, the oie has said we're a better risk than the us anyway and so have all your export customers. if the packers are the problem focus your efforts on them. bullard gets up and yips about canadian cattle and it sounds good to a bunch of angry ranchers but when it comes to solving your problem his talk is pretty much irrelevant. the border will open, the packers have beat you and will continue to beat you until you guys get down to business and build a case.