March 7, 2005
Mad cow disease stirs debate over trade
By Joe Hanel
Herald Washington Correspondent
WASHINGTON - Four sick cows have caused a trade dispute that stretches from Canada to Japan to the U.S. Capitol.
The fight pits a coalition of Democrats, ranchers and Western Republicans against the White House, the Canadian government and the U.S. meatpacking industry.
In 2003, the Department of Agriculture halted imports of Canadian cattle after one cow was found with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease. Since then, Canadian officials have reported three more infected cattle.
Humans can get the fatal disease by eating infected meat, although human cases are very rare.
The Department of Agriculture had planned to reopen the border today, but on Wednesday a Montana judge delayed the reopening. Later that day, the Senate passed a resolution in favor of keeping the border closed.
At the same time, Japan has kept its border closed to U.S. meat imports because of the Canadian mad cow scare. Members of Congress from farm states sent letters to Japanese ambassador Ryozo Kato with a veiled threat of sanctions against Japanese tires unless Japan accepts U.S. meat imports.
Both of Colorado's senators, Republican Wayne Allard and Democrat Ken Salazar, signed the letter. Rep. John Salazar, D-Manassa, joined 29 House members in signing the letter.
The Japanese Embassy has not taken a position on the letter, a spokeswoman said.
Allard, a veterinarian, called for the government to reopen the Canadian border, saying the United States should lead by example if it wants the Japanese border reopened.
"Canada is one of our most important trading partners," Allard said during a debate in the Senate. "If we cannot rationally restore the beef and cattle trade with our most important trading partner, I ask the question: How will we ever restore trade on a global scale?"
However, 52 senators, including most Democrats and 12 Republicans, voted to keep the border closed. The House has not voted on the issue. President Bush promised to veto the bill if it makes it to his desk.
Rep. Salazar praised the Senate's action and the judge's ruling.
"On my visit to Durango, I expected to hear support for opening the border to Canadian beef, but instead the local farmers and ranchers rejected the USDA's ruling," Rep. Salazar said. "Folks in Colorado are concerned that opening the border will affect our ability to trade with Japan in the future."
Where they stand
The United States, Canada and Japan are in a trade dispute over mad cow disease and meat exports.
Canadian border
Who wants it open: The meatpacking industry, the Bush administration, the Canadian government, a majority of Senate Republicans.
Who wants it closed: Ranchers and cattlemen, Senate Democrats.
Japanese border
Who wants it open: A bipartisan group of members of Congress from farm states.
Who wants it closed: The Japanese government.
R-CALF, a group representing cattlemen, went to court to keep the Canadian border closed, arguing that the health risks to American cattle and consumers are too high. The group also lobbied Congress on the issue.
But meatpackers, who buy cattle on the open market and process the meat, say the ranchers' opposition to Canada is really about keeping cattle prices high.
"Today's vote was not about public health; it was about protectionism," said Mike Brown, senior vice president of legislative affairs for the American Meat Institute. "The longer groups like R-CALF can keep out Canadian cattle and beef, the higher they can sustain U.S. cattle prices and their own profits."
R-CALF spokeswoman Shae Dodson said health is the group's main concern.
"R-CALF has created a positive side effect for the markets, but that's not our main goal. Our goal is to safeguard the health of the American herd," she said. "We want Canada to have BSE eradicated from its herd before we re-establish trade with them."
Sen. Salazar said he wants to see Canadian imports resume in the long run.
"The fact of the matter is there are questions the Department of Agriculture should be answering before lifting the ban," Salazar said.
He said the government should set up a program to verify that all Canadian cattle are free of mad cow disease, and also create a system to identify and track individual animals. He said these steps would reassure the Japanese government, as well.
The Montana judge ordered lawyers for the government and R-CALF to get together and decide on a schedule for returning to court. The next court date may be announced next week.
The House will probably debate a measure on Canadian imports this week, although no vote is set.
The cattle industry, including the meat-processing sector, accounts for an estimated 46,400 jobs and $2.33 billion of income in Colorado, according to National Cattlemen's Beef Association, which cited a 2002 Iowa State University study.
Mad cow disease stirs debate over trade
By Joe Hanel
Herald Washington Correspondent
WASHINGTON - Four sick cows have caused a trade dispute that stretches from Canada to Japan to the U.S. Capitol.
The fight pits a coalition of Democrats, ranchers and Western Republicans against the White House, the Canadian government and the U.S. meatpacking industry.
In 2003, the Department of Agriculture halted imports of Canadian cattle after one cow was found with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease. Since then, Canadian officials have reported three more infected cattle.
Humans can get the fatal disease by eating infected meat, although human cases are very rare.
The Department of Agriculture had planned to reopen the border today, but on Wednesday a Montana judge delayed the reopening. Later that day, the Senate passed a resolution in favor of keeping the border closed.
At the same time, Japan has kept its border closed to U.S. meat imports because of the Canadian mad cow scare. Members of Congress from farm states sent letters to Japanese ambassador Ryozo Kato with a veiled threat of sanctions against Japanese tires unless Japan accepts U.S. meat imports.
Both of Colorado's senators, Republican Wayne Allard and Democrat Ken Salazar, signed the letter. Rep. John Salazar, D-Manassa, joined 29 House members in signing the letter.
The Japanese Embassy has not taken a position on the letter, a spokeswoman said.
Allard, a veterinarian, called for the government to reopen the Canadian border, saying the United States should lead by example if it wants the Japanese border reopened.
"Canada is one of our most important trading partners," Allard said during a debate in the Senate. "If we cannot rationally restore the beef and cattle trade with our most important trading partner, I ask the question: How will we ever restore trade on a global scale?"
However, 52 senators, including most Democrats and 12 Republicans, voted to keep the border closed. The House has not voted on the issue. President Bush promised to veto the bill if it makes it to his desk.
Rep. Salazar praised the Senate's action and the judge's ruling.
"On my visit to Durango, I expected to hear support for opening the border to Canadian beef, but instead the local farmers and ranchers rejected the USDA's ruling," Rep. Salazar said. "Folks in Colorado are concerned that opening the border will affect our ability to trade with Japan in the future."
Where they stand
The United States, Canada and Japan are in a trade dispute over mad cow disease and meat exports.
Canadian border
Who wants it open: The meatpacking industry, the Bush administration, the Canadian government, a majority of Senate Republicans.
Who wants it closed: Ranchers and cattlemen, Senate Democrats.
Japanese border
Who wants it open: A bipartisan group of members of Congress from farm states.
Who wants it closed: The Japanese government.
R-CALF, a group representing cattlemen, went to court to keep the Canadian border closed, arguing that the health risks to American cattle and consumers are too high. The group also lobbied Congress on the issue.
But meatpackers, who buy cattle on the open market and process the meat, say the ranchers' opposition to Canada is really about keeping cattle prices high.
"Today's vote was not about public health; it was about protectionism," said Mike Brown, senior vice president of legislative affairs for the American Meat Institute. "The longer groups like R-CALF can keep out Canadian cattle and beef, the higher they can sustain U.S. cattle prices and their own profits."
R-CALF spokeswoman Shae Dodson said health is the group's main concern.
"R-CALF has created a positive side effect for the markets, but that's not our main goal. Our goal is to safeguard the health of the American herd," she said. "We want Canada to have BSE eradicated from its herd before we re-establish trade with them."
Sen. Salazar said he wants to see Canadian imports resume in the long run.
"The fact of the matter is there are questions the Department of Agriculture should be answering before lifting the ban," Salazar said.
He said the government should set up a program to verify that all Canadian cattle are free of mad cow disease, and also create a system to identify and track individual animals. He said these steps would reassure the Japanese government, as well.
The Montana judge ordered lawyers for the government and R-CALF to get together and decide on a schedule for returning to court. The next court date may be announced next week.
The House will probably debate a measure on Canadian imports this week, although no vote is set.
The cattle industry, including the meat-processing sector, accounts for an estimated 46,400 jobs and $2.33 billion of income in Colorado, according to National Cattlemen's Beef Association, which cited a 2002 Iowa State University study.
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