U.S. Finds BSE Positive Cow

[FarmRanger]

Maybe the U.S. government should set up a commission to see what went wrong. They could make sure that the commission head has no power to name those who may have done anything wrong. All the commission would be able to do is make recommendations on how not to have this sort of thing happen in the future. It would be a good P.R. exercise where the government could appear to be doing something, while just absolving themselves of blame.
Canada could lend them Justice Gomery in about 6 months to preside over the affair.

[Willowcreek]

Taiwans reaction

Chen noted, however, that if the animal is confirmed to have the brain-wasting bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) , also known as mad cow disease, Taiwan will suspend imports of U.S. beef immediately. If that is the case, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will have to produce epidemiological documents proving that no such cases existing in the United States before Taiwan will reconsider reopening its doors to U.S. beef, Chen added. U.S. beef just arrived back on the menu in Taiwan in April after being banned for a year and a half because of the discovery of a single case of mad cow disease in Washington State in 2003.
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Koreas response
Jun.12,2005 21:08 KST

New BSE Case Makes Imports of U.S. Beef Unlikely

Recent confirmation that another cow in the United States tested positive for BSE or mad cow disease is likely to thwart intensive American efforts to persuade Korea to resume import of U.S. beef. Korea banned the imports after a cow in Washington State tested positive for BSE in December 2003.
The Agricultural Ministry said Sunday it asked the U.S. for the test results as well as information on the breed and age of the sick animal. A ministry official said final confirmation that it was indeed BSE would affect Korea’s decision whether or not to restart imports of U.S. beef. He said the ministry would consider the issue from several angles but the key was a scientific confirmation that the beef is safe. After a third round of discussions in Washington from June 6 to 10 and the results form a bilateral team of experts in hand, Korea was scheduled to start negotiating details of resuming imports including price and quantity.

According to the ministry, the cow that tested positive was one of three that showed BSE-like symptoms during a U.S. investigation carried out last year but were initially judged to be disease-free. The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday a cow had tested positive for mad cow disease but confirmation conducted simultaneously in the U.S. and Great Britain would take about two weeks.

(englishnews@chosun.com )

[farmers_son]

It is unfortunate that Korea would take this position. It is countries like Korea that use BSE as a protectionist tool that encourage countries like the U.S. to cover up BSE positives. This flies in the face of the recent OIE directive that boneless beef presents no risk whatsoever and should not be banned. Korea’s position would not hold up before the WTO.

However, Japan is the real important market and I do not see negotiations with Japan being halted. It was clear that under 20 month old beef from Canada were going to be allowed into Japan and in fact Canada was planning to beat the U.S. into the Japanese market by being the first to provide age verified animals, a benefit of our already established trace back system. If Japan was going to allow Canadian beef imports, this confirmed BSE positive in the U.S., and it is a confirmed BSE positive not an inconclusive result, should not affect the anticipated imports.

Anyone wonder why the Washington Holstein that was blamed on Canada was verified by Weybridge, England in two days, on Christmas Day no less, and this latest BSE positive is predicted to take 2 weeks to be “confirmed”. This needless delay is not positive for the North American beef market. The speculation and uncertainty will only make matters worse. However there is no uncertainty on this side of the border about whether that “Texas” cow had BSE or not. It had it.

While it will be bitter payback for the Yankees if Korea does block imports of American beef I am sure R-Calf members and the Bush Administration would understand. I look forward to the U.S. demonstrating to countries like Korea and others that BSE should not be used as a protectionist tool by removing their own obviously unfair and unreasonable blockade/embargo on Canadian live cattle. Canadian producers no doubt are looking to line up trucks to haul live cattle south in the next few weeks. No doubt Montana producers will give those Canadian trucks a friendly wave as they pass by on their way to Hiram, Utah. Some of those waving may even use all five fingers.

[grassfarmer]

I don't know about anyone else but I get nervous when i see all the media clips of ABP/CCA officials saying this can only help our case and it puts us all on a level playing field with the US. Can nobody else see the possible scenario of this resulting in further US exports being blocked/ not restarted and this resulting in the US being even more determined to keep the border closed to live cattle or even limiting boxed beef imports from Canada? I may be looking at the worst case scenario but in my experience of BSE s$%# usually happens and there is no justice.
The US are certainly bloody minded enough to treat us any way they want, regardless of laws, WTO or NAFTA if we have learnt nothing else in the last 2 years we should have learnt that.

[cowman]

The only good thing that might come out of this is that some American ranchers might finally wake up and smell the coffee? Apparently not the R-CALF leadership, according to the quote from farmers son!
But then I'm not talking about the died in the wool R-CALFer but the little guy who has listened and believed their drivel!
Otherwise this is not a good thing for anyone? It brings into question the honesty of the USDA and that is not good?
However if this cow tests positive hopefully America will work with us on getting this North American BSE problem cleared up and return our cattle herd to what it was...a safe healthy product that can be eaten with confidence that it is BSE free.

[farmers_son]

Grassfarmer: I hear what you are saying and you are correct. But it is surely better than if Canada had found another BSE.

[jensend]

keep in mind the americans will do what the americans have done all along - they'll do what's good for them and if they can sideswipe someone else in the process, all the better.