MAD COW DISEASE FOUND IN THE UNITED STATES

[carebear300]

It appears to me that the canadian government is worried about offending the americans and will wait and let the americans set the standards that we will follow. In other words once again they are prepared to sacrifice the canadian farmer to satisfy some other hidden agenda.

[TOM4CWB]

Carebear300;

I see this on DTN AgNews today;

"Japan Seeks Stricter BSE Standards
01/12 09:56
TOKYO (Nikkei) -- The Japanese government will request that the World Organization for Animal Health establish stricter international inspection standards for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, commonly known as mad cow disease, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reports in its Monday edition.

The intergovernmental organization, known as the OIE, is responsible for monitoring contagious diseases among livestock.

Japan requires BSE screening for all domestic cattle slated for shipment as part of one of the world's most stringent inspection programs. But international standards require that the U.S., which annually ships 35 million head of cattle, inspect only about 500. The U.S. government screens around 20,000 head of cattle, and officials say that the current inspection regime is scientific.

During the organization's general meeting in May, the Japanese government will tout the effectiveness of its comprehensive screening initiative and call for an increase in minimum sample standards. Officials are also expected to seek inspections for cattle less than two years old, which are considered to be safe under international standards. Among the nine cases of BSE discovered in Japan, two were from cattle younger than two years old.

(CZ)"

I would say the International BSE standards need some serious work, wouldn't you say?

[dmarti9]

As for why Canada hasn't started testing all the cattle yet, I don't think Canada has a hidden agenda or fears to insult the States. The 85.4 million that was lost in wheat is more likely to be the reasoning behind the wait. During the past two years our biggest agricultural exports have suffered, our over-quotaed Dairy market was shut down a few years ago with the states and then last year was drought and this year was beef. Yes, increasing testings so that they are done on every cow will open export markets again which in turn will bring in revenue, sooner or later, but at what costs? Can our nation afford this new investment at this time after suffering so many other market shut downs? Who will pay for these increased lab investments? If the costs falls back on the farmers, which it probably will, partially if not all, will they even be able to pay? Is opening the markets for export again the best thing for us to do right now or is this an oppurtunity for us as a Nation, to step back and take care of our own Country?