BSE Cow in Manitoba?

[cowman]

Willowcreek: You obviously take pride in your cattle and the product you produce. So maybe you are right when you say ALL Canadian producers are catching up to YOU...but not the national herd in the USA?
The fact is as a national herd you have no real national ID system, no traceback system, no national age verification program? And the sad thing is you don't seem to think that is important!
R-CALF seems to think if they have MCOOL they don't need to do any of these things? Or am I wrong? Didn't they say "Don't bother us with national ID. Just stop foreign beef from entering the country"?
The fact is the USA has BSE, although they seem to have a problem admitting it! The USA and Canada have been trading cattle, beef and bone/bloodmeal across the border for ever! You can't blame Canada for all your woes...it just isn't reality?
Up here we are doing what we have to, to fix the problem...I don't see the USA doing that at all? Should we have confidence in your products and your USDA?

[Willowcreek]

I think you are confused on R-CALF's position on an ID program- they do not oppose an ID program, they just oppose reinventing the wheel in areas that already have a working ID system and have had for years...They oppose the government putting a huge unfunded and unknown costing mandate on US producers...And they have questioned whether the system is workable or a political boondoggle to profit the tagmakers, NCBA, and USDA...

In the US, unlike the CFIA, the USDA has little enforcement power over livestock and diseases- the majority of that has been left to the individual states- and thats where they and I think the ID system should be left with...

And you are right- some states have ID systems now that surpass Canada's mandated tagging system- in that they not only have the ID, but have had the movement and tracking system in place and in operation for years...
And many feedlots down here have been gathering and using age and all the other info I posted on cattle for years...And doing it without having an expensive national database....

Coppertop- I could exchange name calling with csWilson- but it would do no good- and I also have many friends and acquaintances that live north of the border and I know that Wilson is not an example of the majority of those that call themselves ranchers in Canada...

I posted the Atta boy post not only because R-CALF was giving Canada praise, but to make you aware of the true concern many cattle producers have about BSE and the USDA's policy..If you read far enough you would see that they are calling for, and have been calling for an upgrading of US standards too- especially if the USDA is going to open the country to importing from BSE countries...
"Don't be afraid to see what you see" Ronald Reagan

But many are afraid to look....

[cswilson]

I think the majority of Canadians of all walks of life dislike Americans who run down our country as often as you do-to take the moral high ground 'OLDTIMER' you first have to have some morals-something you liars that make up the R-Calf membership sadly lack-should I cuit and paste some of the stuff you've posted about Canada on Ranchers.net-your just another R-Calf lowlife posting under a nickname-not even man enough to put your name beside your post.

[coppertop]

Individual ranchers on either side of the border scrapping with each other isn't going to accomplish anything. Comsumers in the US need factual information about our beef, and producers on both sides of the border need to realize just how integrated our industry is. I think that most producers in this part of Canada are fully aware of this. It would be wonderful if positive outcomes vs R-CAlF spending producer dollars fighting to keep our beef out of the US could happen.I have been very disappointed with the SILENCE of our own commodity organization with respect to this issue.
BSE isn't a Canadian problem it is a world problem and the US knows they have had positive cases as well, regardless of what picture they wish to paint. Denial isn't going to solve anything, but positive dialogue just might.