So what does R-CALF say?

[cowman]

I would sure like to know what the bigshots at R-CALF are saying today? I'm sure all their down on the farm members are eagerly awaiting their marching orders? Time for the bosses to shore up the troops?
I hope some of the down on the farm types will finally begin to realize that there comes a time to learn to think for yourself and not believe every snake oil salesman that comes along!

[cowman]

Horner was interviewed yesterday and he seems to feel that the positive test in the US will help our chances of getting the border open, that it shoots down RCalf's position.

Hope he's right.

[Willowcreek]

R-CALF is still questioning the credibility, competency and motive of USDA's actions...All this latest farce does is give them more ammo to show how disfunctional and unreliable USDA has become toward their primary legislated goal- to safeguard US consumers and the US cattle herd....
------------------------------------
Suspect Sample Tests Positive for BSE


(Billings, Mont.) – After two weeks of uncertainty awaiting test results on brain tissue from a cow originally declared free of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in November 2004, and then declared a ‘weak positive,’ by the agency on June 10, U.S. cattle producers today learned that the animal in question was indeed afflicted by BSE. USDA gave no indication as to whether the infected cow was another imported animal or if it was a domestic animal. USDA said an investigation into the origin of the animal is ongoing.



For reasons still unknown, USDA’s Inspector General recently requested tissue samples from all three of last year’s questionable cows – samples the agency first announced as ‘inconclusive,’ and then negative for BSE – be retested. In a news conference this afternoon, USDA officials announced that tests conducted at The Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Weybridge, England, confirmed the BSE-positive results. A recent statement issued by OIG said its investigation into USDA’s BSE Surveillance Program will continue, and that a final audit report should be complete by late summer.



“U.S. cattle producers have always done everything possible to make certain their beef is safe, and in the early 1990s, significant and stringent control measures were implemented across the industry to provide safeguards against BSE, should the disease ever be introduced into the domestic cattle herd,” said R-CALF USA President and Co-Founder Leo McDonnell. “However, these same producers also look to USDA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to prevent BSE from infecting domestic cattle or posing a risk to consumers.”



After today’s announcement, R-CALF USA calls on the Bush Administration and Congress to direct these agencies to adopt and enforce additional BSE safeguards including: 1) increased BSE testing; 2) allowing packers the option to voluntarily test for BSE if they choose; 3) strengthening the U.S. feed ban to prohibit the use of blood, poultry litter, and plate waste in feed, as well as prevention of cross-contamination and misfeeding; 4) a continuation of the ban on downer animals; and, 5) continued import restrictions on BSE-affected countries.



“Science says we need to strengthen these protections, and frankly, it’s just common sense, so let’s take these precautions so that we can continue protecting consumers and our cattle herd,” said McDonnell.



“The BSE safeguards already in place here in the U.S. are more stringent than measures any other country has ever implemented prior to having a case of BSE, including Canada,” said McDonnell. “Yet, USDA continues to seek to lower our import standards by writing a Final Rule that would allow cattle and additional beef products into the U.S. from Canada, a country that doesn’t meet the minimum internationally accepted standards for BSE prevention and control.”



Listed below is a comparison of both countries’ reaction to BSE, which clearly demonstrates the United States responded much quicker than Canada to implement protections against the disease:



· The U.S. made BSE a reportable disease three years before Canada designated the disease.

· In 1989, the U.S. began prohibiting the importation of ruminants from the United Kingdom (U.K.) because of the BSE crisis there; Canada continued to import ruminants in 1990.

· The U.S. implemented its BSE surveillance program in 1990; Canada did not begin its surveillance program until 1992.

· Canada discovered its first BSE case in 1993, in a cow imported from the U.K. Canada likely rendered 68 cattle imported from the U.K. prior to discovering its first case of BSE. Ten of those cattle were known to originate from BSE-affected farms in the U.K., two of which were known herdmates of the BSE-positive cow discovered in 1993.

· The Harvard Center for Risk Analysis stated that while the U.S. may have rendered 173 cattle imported from the U.K. prior to 1989, “none came from a birth cohort (same birth farm and year) in which a BSE case is known to have developed.”

· As of May 31, 2005, the U.S. had tested a total of 433,183 cattle in the population considered to be of highest risk for BSE, and no cases had been found in the domestic cattle herd; Canada has tested only 64,788 cattle in the population considered to be of highest risk for BSE, and four BSE-positive cows have been detected in its domestic herd.

· In 2004, prompted by the Dec. 23, 2003, discovery in Washington state of a BSE-positive cow imported from Canada, the U.S. increased its BSE testing from 20,543 cattle to more than 176,400 animals; in 1994, one year after Canada discovered an imported cow with BSE, Canada decreased its BSE testing from 645 cattle to 426 cattle.

· Even though Canada and the U.S. both implemented feed bans in August 1997, the U.S. had its feed ban in place for more than five years prior to the December 2003 BSE case in a cow imported from Canada; Canada’s feed ban, however, was not implemented until almost four years after it discovered BSE in an imported cow.

· Canada has had four cases of BSE in native cattle in the past two years, two of which were announced only days apart, just a few months ago. Of significant concern is the fact that Canada still allows ‘downer’ cattle into its domestic food supply.



“Just the fact that Canada has had four cases of BSE in native cattle in the past two years suggests the prevalence rate of the disease is higher in Canada than in the United States,” noted McDonnell. “All four Canadian BSE cases came from Alberta – the primary source of Canadian exports of cattle and beef to the United States, which suggests there likely are more BSE-infected cattle in Alberta that could be sent to the U.S. if USDA lifts the ban on Canadian imports.



“U.S. beef is still the safest and most wholesome in the world, but if we want other countries to buy our beef, we must demonstrate that we have the appropriate BSE protections in place by raising standards, not lowering them,” McDonnell said. “And if other countries want us to buy their beef, they must do the same.”

[blackjack]

...come on willowcreek...both countries are in the same minimal risk so lets get behind the procedures to take out the SRM's and move on to getting our great product out to the consumers...
...why do you r-calf want to keep on fighting rancher against rancher...there are more ranchers than you think up here that would support your org. ideas on captive supplies...sueing each other is just plain B.S...hopefully for the ranchers sake we can make both our governments understand how important the family farms are for environment and the vilability of the small rural towns...do we not need to try for the next generation...

[cowman]

willoecreek: You would be very prudent to realize the wisdom in "blackjacks post"? The fact is you and I and blackjacks are not that different...we're all trying to survive and make this business work? Why do we continue to try to blame each other when, in fact, we are just guys trying to survive?
In spite of grassfarmers contentions that I love the corporations, the facts are that I am at their mercy...just like you are? I do believe R-CALF has some good ideas! Unfortunately they have been hi-jacked by some kind of idiots that think they need to wrap themselves in an American flag! Which I would suggest has completely screwed up the original message...the cow/calf thing?
The idea that producers should get a just price for their product is a good one? And the basic premise that the American cattleman should benifit from the affluence of the American economy...is not alien to me! However, the fact is this: I am an AMERICAN cattle producer.PERIOD! We are NORTH AMERICA! Get it through your thick heads! You and me are no different!

[grassfarmer]

Willowcreek I just about fell out of my chair when I read:

"Canada discovered its first BSE case in 1993, in a cow imported from the U.K. Canada likely rendered 68 cattle imported from the U.K. prior to discovering its first case of BSE. Ten of those cattle were known to originate from BSE-affected farms in the U.K., two of which were known herdmates of the BSE-positive cow discovered in 1993.

· The Harvard Center for Risk Analysis stated that while the U.S. may have rendered 173 cattle imported from the U.K. prior to 1989, “none came from a birth cohort (same birth farm and year) in which a BSE case is known to have developed.”

If Canada got 10 bse cohorts out of 68 cattle rendered what was the likliehood of the US getting 0 cohorts from 173 cattle rendered?
Total BS just like the rest of R-CALFs claims!!
To skew the odds further I can inform you that of the 68 cattle rendered in Canada some were of the Luing breed which has never had a case of BSE -anywhere in the world. The US imported no Luing cattle from Europe so had a statistically higher chance of rendering imported cohorts.

[farmers_son]

Blackjack: Very well said. I totally agree. Certainly now is the time, more than ever, to work together with our U.S. counterparts to meet the challenge of BSE. I can only hope R-Calf and groups like them see that producers trying to gain an advantage over each other only creates a pool of cheaper cattle in the other country that the packers can use to drive down the prices domestically. I would think Willowcreek would appreciate something the packers realized a long time ago, that the fewer competitors there are in a market the higher the profits are. It is well past time that the U.S. got over viewing Canada as a competitor to be beaten instead of a NAFTA partner that has far more in common with American producers then any other country in the world. We can work together to raise the price of live cattle in both countries or we can be competitors and drive each others live cattle prices down, thereby increasing packer profits. Now that we have gotten past the denial of BSE and can move forward in a North American marketplace I would hope that R-Calf gives very serious consideration to withdrawing their lawsuit against the USDA so we can get on with the important business of regaining export markets worldwide and finding solutions to common problems like packer control and chronically low returns at the farm gate.