Long-term beef ban spells doom for cattlemen
In our all knowing US-centric view of the world, let's not forget where this might leave Canada, one of our best friends in the world, one of the few left.
'10 years of hard work and equity ... have been wiped out'
By MICHELLE MARK, CALGARY SUN
A U.S. lobby to delay allowing Canadian live cattle imports across its border could send a fatal blow to Alberta's beef industry, say industry leaders.
"The last 10 years of hard work and equity built up in cattle operations have been wiped out in the past six months," said Alberta Cattle Feeders' Association general manager Ron Axelson.
"We have an industry on the verge of bankruptcy."
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Canadian Alliance agriculture critic Rick Casson said the mood of beef producers in his southern Alberta riding is "absolutely desperate. I believe if our border isn't open to some form of trade in live cattle by May that we are in very real danger of losing this entire industry," said Casson.
U.S. agriculture officials said Saturday they will take another look at a proposal to reopen the border to some Canadian cattle after finding mad cow disease in Washington state.
But, Terry Stokes, chief executive officer of the U.S. National Cattlemen's Beef Association, has requested an "indefinite extension of the final comments regarding the opening of the Canadian border to live animal trade" until the American investigation into the recent mad cow case is wrapped up.
The USDA said it has not imposed any additional restrictions on Canadian beef trade since this week's discovery of mad cow disease.
Shutting off trade of live cattle indefinitely would have a devastating impact on Canadian cattle prices, said Axelson.
"If we can't move the cattle we have, then we'll have upwards of 30 per cent more cattle than we can consume in Canada," he said.
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Remember, this is a $175billion a year industry ($37b from direct sales). The ripple effects are enormous.