Montana Govenor Wants Independent Inspection of Live Cattle

[Willowcreek]

In all the releases I have seen in Montana, they say that the cattle to be tested are those that are "destined" for the State of Montana- which will be few since Montana has no slaughter houses and few major feedlots... That said Montana already has laws requiring brand inspections and health inspections on all cattle coming into the state, moving within the state, and changing ownership- and further requirements on cattle coming from TB or Brucellosis areas (Texas and Wyoming are 2 I can think of)...There is also a growing statewide outcry to put restrictions on South Dakota cows because of their vibrio-lepto outbreak.. Since many of these laws and inspections are already required it probably would not be illegal to require additional inspections from a BSE higher risk country- especially with the track record of ineptness USDA has shown to date.....

I agree that much of this is just blow by the governor who is looking for more confrontations with the Bush administration- He's been on CNN 3 times in the 200 days since being elected. Nothing he would like more than to get more TV coverage of the issue and himself...

And from what I can see Canadian producers are smiling like a pig in sh**- going back to the status quo of before...They will be backslapping their ABP and CCA rep and again riding on the backs of US producers- while doing nothing to to have an industry of their own...

It is too bad no-one in the world, outside Canada, even knows that Canada produces good beef- It all has to pass thru the US and get the USDA stamp in order to be marketed.......

[rkaiser]

It's tough Willow creek, cause I agree with some of the things you say.

However "Higher risk country" Where the hell do you come up with this kind of crap. Just beacause Canada tests more of the cattle that are more likey to show signs of BSE, they found a couple more.

Give it a break Willow Creek. Don't try to mix your scientific mind with your protectionist one, your' playing with fire that might start that whiskey a burning.

Don't forget as well that producers in Canada do not sell beef. We surrender it on the hook to your very own American packers. The same American packers who your dear Rcalf assisted in profitting profusely in Canada to the point of expansion and an even larger market share.

Try to blame the Canadian producer for the one, you old fart.

[farmers_son]

Cowman: You are exactly right, the Canadian cattle could go through Washington to the Excel (Cargill) plant instead of the E.A. Miller plant in Hyrum, Utah. The E.A. Miller plant is one of Swift’s top ten U.S. packing plants and typically cattle going through Montana go to the Utah plant. Starting to get the picture… Now who do you think gave the most support to the Montana Governor’s election campaign, Cargill or Swift? These U.S. politicians are catering to the big packers, not the producers, by their protectionist actions. And the Montana cattleman is cheering as U.S. politicians promote policies that will see further packer concentration in their country. Producers on both sides of the border had better get a clear picture of just who the enemy is. Look in the dictionary under packing plants.

[Willowcreek]

Cowman- I doubt whether Cargill, or Tyson or Swift put a dime into the Governors election-they were pouring all their money into getting his competitor, Bob Brown who was pro big business all the way, elected.... But the common people who can't see why importing cheaper Canadian beef by the multinational corporations is legal, but importing cheaper Canadian or Mexican pharmaecuticals by the common person is illegal...

His nonconnection to big business and special interest groups money is what is being listed as the reason he is being touted as a possible Presidential candidate around DC now...

[Willowcreek]

Kaiser--"However "Higher risk country" Where the hell do you come up with this kind of crap. Just beacause Canada tests more of the cattle that are more likey to show signs of BSE, they found a couple more.

Give it a break Willow Creek. Don't try to mix your scientific mind with your protectionist one, your' playing with fire that might start that whiskey a burning." I have to keep that in there because nothings been proven yet!!!!

But I have to give you and Cam credit for being some of the only Canadians that actually see the whole picture IMO...

My question has always been- who pays for and how much does this Ted Haney fellow get paid? Looks like a big waste of someones money when everything is marketed thru the states as US product anyway on the backs of the US taxpayer who pays the USDA and US commerce Department to do all the trade negotiating!!

[rkaiser]

You're not getting it old man. It is American beef. It came from Canadian cattle, but the Americans bought it on the hoof, killed it and sold it to their own citizens.

Ted Haney is paid partly by our checkoff dollars and speaks Japanese. If he truely had any say as to where the Americans that buy our cattle sell THEIR beef, I'm sure he would prefer more offshore sales as well.

How's the American beef export federation doing Willow? And do you realise that Cargill and Tyson beef is sold in Calgary Alberta as well; and I know for a fact that some of it comes from American cattle. Boxes have been lucrative and some clients in Canada have seen enough of cow meat. High end cuts are coming north of the 49th as well. Poorer quality, I might add, but priced right.

[grassfarmer]

rkaiser,
"The majority did speak to ABP grassfarmer, the problem was, leadership for, what ever reason, did not listen."
With respect Randy that's crap. Since when did the 5(?)% of producers that bothered to turn up and vote constitute a majority?
The majority either aren't interested or are content to bitch in the coffee shop but not actually do anything about it. That is the fault of the producers not ABP. If producers really cared or were hurting enough we could have all the current ABP people that are useless (that IS a majority!)out of jobs inside two or three years. We should have started the process a while back.

[rkaiser]

I meant the majority of those who showed up at ABP producer meetings grassfarmer.

Herding cats grassfarmer, herding cats.

[cowman]

Well if the BSE crisis and a free roast dinner didn't draw out the people, what would it take? Obviously, for whatever reason, producers just don't care about the ABP? Just another little government inspired annoyance?
Back in the early nineties there was a plebisite to get rid of the mandatory checkoff...and defacto the ABP...how many voted? 12%! And you didn't need to go to any meeting...just down to the district Agriculture office! So 6% of eligible voters, voted for the ABP and that seemed to make it a legitimate voice of the cattle producer forever!
Why would anyone think they can buck the big packers on a commodity market? Take a look around and see where the hog and grain business has gone?
As long as government refuses to put checks and balances on these guys, nothing will ever change?
Wayne Easter, pretty well spelled it out in his report on the state of agriculture in Canada? I seriously doubt the feds will act on any of his recommendations? In other words we just wasted some more money and time on a make work project that will bear absolutely no fruit!

[farmers_son]

Willowcreek: Whether by accident or design your Montana Governor’s $5 inspection fee and for that matter any policy that is negative for the price of live cattle anywhere in North America serves to benefit Cargill.

I am not sure where Montana calves go to get finished, used to be quite a few came to Alberta, but it would seem to me that it is not in the best interest of Montana cattle producers to see Swifts close that plant in Hyrum. It only makes sense however that Montana cattle will be again coming into Alberta once our markets return to normal and if we continue to increase our packing capacity those Montana calves will be killed in Alberta too. We are a lot closer than the plants that are in the U.S. now.