|
|
|
2007-8-31 17:59:42 |
|
Billings, Mont. ? The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has failed its responsibility to adequately protect the U.S. cattle herd, the U.S. beef supply, U.S. export markets and U.S. consumers from Canada’s widespread problem with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). “Virtually every assumption made by USDA regarding how Canada had effectively controlled its BSE problem has been proven false by what are now undisputed facts ? and yet the agency continues to ignore its responsibility to U.S. citizens,? said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard. Wedneday’s announcement by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regarding Canada’s 12th case of BSE, 11 of which were found in native Canadian cattle, shows that the Canadian feed ban ? implemented in 1997 ? has failed to prevent continued exposure to BSE in Canada. Based on CFIA’s announcement, this animal ? at only 5-1/2 years old ? is the second youngest case of BSE detected in Canada. The youngest case was a 50 month-old animal confirmed in July 2006. Additionally, this is the second case detected in British Columbia. Another case was discovered in Manitoba, while most have originated in Alberta. This indicates BSE in Canada is not isolated in any particular province within the country. And while CFIA assures the public that the BSE-infected cattle were kept out of the human and animal feed chains, neither CFIA nor USDA acknowledges the obvious: that there have apparently been three or more generations of other, undetected BSE-infected cattle that contaminated feed supplies in Canada for at least half a dozen years, and for years after Canada’s feed ban went into effect. Despite a very limited amount of testing, six cases of BSE have been confirmed in Canadian cattle born after Canada implemented its feed ban in 1997 ? despite USDA’s unsupported insistence that the Canadian feed ban has been effective in preventing the spread of the disease. “If it weren’t for R-CALF USA’s continued efforts, through the administrative process and litigation to force USDA to look more closely at the BSE risk from Canadian imports, then USDA likely would’ve already allowed imports of both Canadian cattle and meat from Canadian cattle that were born the same time as these six cases,? said R-CALF USA Vice President Randy Stevenson. “And now USDA seems poised to do so even as the evidence of BSE infection in the Canadian herd continues to pile up. “USDA officials have stated they hope to begin importing Canadian cattle over 30 months (OTM) of age into the U.S. no later than late summer or early fall,? he continued. “But according to policy established by R-CALF membership, our board has been instructed to take appropriate action to prevent the importation of OTM cattle from BSE-affected countries. You would think USDA would step back and try to look at Canada’s problem objectively, but it appears the agency is dead set on unrestricted trade with Canada, regardless of the risk. “USDA often states that we should treat our trade partners the way we’d like to be treated,? Stevenson noted. “But you can be sure if the U.S. had animal-disease problems like Canada, Canada would take the necessary precautions to protect its cattle herd and its beef consumers.? “Why is it that U.S. farmers and ranchers have to pay the expense of a lawsuit in order to force USDA to do the job that hard-working taxpayers have already paid the agency to do,? asked R-CALF USA Region I Director Margene Eiguren. “There is something wrong with our government when economic trade goals are allowed to continually trump legitimate health and safety concerns.? Canadian BSE mitigation measures are extremely weak when compared to European countries and Japan, which have comparable incidences of the disease. Canada’s feed ban is weaker, its BSE testing program is less inclusive, and its policies on removal of specified risk materials (SRMs) also are less stringent. “R-CALF just doesn’t understand how USDA and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can continue to be so cavalier when even the United States? export customers tell us that they are concerned because we continue to commingle Canadian beef and cattle with U.S. beef and cattle, and yet, we don’t even differentiate the Canadian product so that consumers can choose whether they want to purchase Canadian beef under these conditions,? commented R-CALF USA Region VII Director Eric Nelson. “Although both the USDA and the FDA have acknowledged since at least 2004 that the U.S. feed ban is not fully adequate to protect against the spread of BSE, no improvements have been made, and Canadian cattle and beef are still entering the U.S. without any restrictions on rendering even high-risk tissue into non-ruminant animal feed.? Canada no longer meets USDA’s definition of a “minimal-risk? country and Canada has long since failed USDA’s own test for determining the effectiveness of its feed ban. USDA’s definition of a minimal-risk country is one that has in place risk mitigation measures adequate to prevent widespread exposure and/or establishment of BSE, including an effectively enforced feed ban. USDA told the public and the courts that Canadian animals born after Canada’s feed ban was implemented in 1997 are unlikely to have been exposed to BSE’s infectious agent. Although this compelling assumption has been proven false, USDA continues to greet each new case born after the feed ban with enthusiastic claims that these new cases really just prove the system is working perfectly and as intended. “The empirical evidence now shows that BSE is firmly established in Canada, the disease has been circulating in that country for at least 10 years, and that widespread exposure of the Canadian cattle herd to the disease not only has occurred, but is likely to continue for additional generations,? Nelson pointed out. ? Canada is suffering a multiyear BSE outbreak that has expanded over a wide geographic area, notwithstanding USDA’s predictions to the contrary.? USDA’s risk analysis for its decision to resume imports of Canadian cattle and beef relied heavily on the fact that at that time, BSE only had been found in cattle born before Canada banned feeding ruminant protein to ruminants. In fact, USDA stated specifically that “cases of BSE found in animals born after the feed ban was implemented would suggest either that the feed ban was ineffective or that there were noncompliance issues.? “Up until this sixth BSE case detected in cattle born after the Canadian feed ban, USDA officials have said these new cases don’t matter,? Eiguren said. “USDA’s response to Canada’s BSE problem is now approaching the realm of bizarre, as USDA is still proceeding with its new rule to begin allowing cattle over the age of 30 months of age into the United States. It is inexplicable that USDA continues to insist Canada’s feed ban has been fully implemented and effectively enforced since the late ?90s, when even the Canadian government acknowledges continued deficiencies in its feed ban that have allowed exposure to BSE. “If USDA’s OTM Rule (Rule 2) were in effect today, five of Canada’s recently detected BSE-infected cattle would have been eligible for export to the U.S.,? she continued. “The most frustrating part is that U.S. cattle producers are already footing the entire legal expenses associated with forcing the USDA to carry out a mandate from Congress to protect the U.S. from the introduction of BSE. Right now, the only thing protecting the U.S. cattle industry and U.S. consumers from USDA’s negligent handling of Canada’s BSE problem is R-CALF USA’s ongoing lawsuit against the agency. “The USDA is not meeting its responsibility to protect U.S. livestock as Congress intended,? Eiguren asserted. “USDA improperly shifted its strategy from preventing the introduction of BSE into the U.S. to a strategy of merely mitigating its spread within the U.S. after it is allowed to enter. It is our hope that someone in Congress will step forward and repeal the agency’s minimal-risk rule and begin reining this agency in. ? R-CALF USA members are hopeful that the enhanced feed ban scheduled to take effect in Canada this summer will in fact eliminate BSE from the Canadian herd over the next 10 years, as CFIA is predicting,? Stevenson concluded. “But in the meantime, the U.S. cattle industry need not ? and should not ? share this continued risk of additional BSE cases.? Note: To view the CFIA announcement, go to: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/newcom/2007/20070502e.shtml. R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) is a national, non-profit organization and is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on both domestic and international trade and marketing issues. Members are located across 47 states and are primarily cow/calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and/or feedlot owners. R-CALF USA has more than 60 affiliate organizations and various main-street businesses are associate members. For more information, visit http://www.r-calfusa.com/ or, call 406-252-2516. |
