GOOD JOB CBC.

[SASH]

We've been talking for months about how this is a North American beef industry in the world's eyes. Don't you think that having BSE in the US will have an affect on how the rest of the world views the North American beef market inclucing Canada.

[farmers_son]

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2005/04/0128.xml

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns speaking to the CBC reports at a news conference on food safety issues.

REPORTER: "Thank you, Larry. Good morning, Mr. Secretary. Greetings from Oklahoma. A couple questions in regards to BSE. The Canadian media seems to be all abuzz with some allegations from a former USDA employee in regards to potentially mishandling some cases really back in the 1990s, 1997. Does this have any bearing or does this give us any problems as far as assuring our consumers here, assuring our consumers overseas about the safety of our beef supply?

"And then secondly, related to that are expanded BSE surveillance effort going on right now here in 2004, 2005 over 314,000 critters have been tested all negative. How long do we go? In other words, how many more animals are we going to test in this expanded surveillance effort?"

SEC. JOHANNS: "In reference to your first question, the gentleman that is making these allegations is really doing so with no proof whatsoever. There's just no mileage whatsoever in the USDA not being absolutely transparent. And in fact if we've had any criticism as you know, the criticism has been along the lines of why are you publishing false positives? And the whole effort there was to just get the information out so the claim could not be made that we were trying to cover something up as this gentleman is claiming. He gets a lot of attention because he makes baseless claims, and that's really what it comes down to. There just isn't any accuracy in what he's saying.

"Again there's just no mileage in approaching the testing this way. We feel very strongly that that testing needs to get out even to the point of publishing the false positives-- which like I said we've been criticized about because we've been so transparent there.

"The other thing I would mention in terms of the other question that you asked, you had a second question there. If you could run that by me again?"

MODERATOR: "The second question related to the effect on the markets."

SEC. JOHANNS: "Oh, Larry, thank you. The effect on the markets? We're not seeing the effect. We're not seeing anybody buying in to what he's trying to sell. I think it's getting some media attention in Canada just simply because they've been so involved with working with us to try to get the border reopened. But no. My phone is not ringing over this. Like I said, he just doesn't have any proof, and his baseless claims just aren't causing my phone to ring on this one."

MODERATOR: "And I'm reminded he did ask about how many more animals would be tested."

SEC. JOHANNS: "The other piece of your question relative to the number of animals being tested, we've tested 314,000. As of just a couple days ago. Fortunately all those tests have been negative. One of things that we want to make sure of is we've touched the bases, we've hit the areas of the country that we want to test, and so we're looking at that. We want to make sure that everything we headed out to do we've done. Somewhere out here in the next few months we'll take a look at that. As you point out, it is a surveillance effort; it is not a food safety effort. Our whole goal is to get an idea of what the herd in the United States looked like relative to BSE. And we're doing that.

"So in the next few months we'll be making an evaluation as to where we go here in terms of that increased surveillance and the number of tests to continue in the future."

[r.reid]

But the U.S. media is sure keeping us up to date with the Michael Jackson B.S.. Bunch of freaking RETARDS!

[cowman]

Well I sure hope the USDA isn't fudging the tests, although I will admit it sure looks like something is funny here?
When people lose faith in the food inspection agency we are all in big trouble?
I like to think that the men and women who work in food inspection are "above" the crooked dealings of corporations and sleazy politicians! And I still have faith that, that is how it is in Canadas food inspection...and hopefully in the USDA? Maybe I am being very naive here?

[rkaiser]

It will all come down to money in the end.

One thing and one thing only holding back the good old USA from testing to access export markets - Money. A move like this would cost the packers, and if the domestic consumer saw fit to demand testing because Japan was getting it, , , it would cost the packers even more MONEY. Of course over time the costs would be past down the chain to the producer, and ultimately the primary producer, but short term, revamping packing plants, and time lost on the line would cost packers MONEY.

I have always said that the second (I will say second because I personally do not believe BSE is transmitted through feed) domestic American BSE case will come when the money situation passes the balance point. If Rcalf and their assbackwards protectionist ways keep succeeding in costing packers other than Cargil and Tyson big bucks, the balance point may be reached.

Up til now Cargil and Tyson have no need for an open border. They are profitting enough in Canada off the backs of the Canadian rancher to offset losses occuring in their plants south of the line due to the closed border.

Conagra has made a small move already challenging Rcalf with their friends within the NMA. Conagra (Swift) has been in a transitional phase the last little while with internal business. They are about ready now to make the big move. The move may be to simply build in Canada - grab a few bucks while they can til the border does open and then position themselves along side Cargil and Tyson to continue the American takeover of the Canadian packing industry. CARGIL HAS AN OFFER ON THE TABLE TO BUY BETTER BEEF - ONE OF CANADA'S LARGEST CANADIAN OWNED PLANTS DOWN EAST. TYSON AND CARGIL HAVE BOTH EXPANDED CAPACITY, AS WELL AS XCEL. XCEL CAN AND WILL SELL TO AMERICAN INTERESTS AT THE DROP OF A BUCKET. Let a few little plalts start up for media attention, bury their asses, and presto the American takeover is complete. Congradulations Canada.

The other choice Conagra has is to push the envelope on testing, and help the USDA find and American case of BSE.

This second choice may sound a bit to conspiracy theory for some, but give it some thought.

Have a great day all, it looks like a pleasant one ahead here in southern Alberta.