Ending mad-cow skirmish
Jan. 3rd, 2005 by adminJanuary 3, 2005
From the Miami Herald(Excerpt - for complete article, please visit Miami Herald)
OUR OPINION: DOWNGRADING RISK FROM CANADA BEEF A POSITIVE STEP
There were big sighs of relief on both sides of the border last week when the U.S. Agriculture Department announced that it was easing restrictions on cattle imports from Canada. The decision was the right one. It reflects an Agriculture Department finding that there is ”minimal risk” from Canada’s cattle and will help ease tensions between the United States and one of its largest trading partners…
Dozens of other countries also banned beef from Canada after the disease was found in the Canadian cow. Last month, President Bush set the policy change in motion after visiting with Prime Minister Paul Martin. Among other things, Mr. Martin talked about Canada’s rigorous testing program. Last week, however, another Canadian cow, identified as a 10-year-old high-risk ”downer” was being being tested for mad-cow disease.
The rule will allow Canadian cattle younger than 30 months old to be imported into the United States starting March 7. The animals must be transported in sealed containers, and breeding cattle won’t be allowed. Although the rule change clears the way for a resumption of imports, several hurdles remain. Congress has to review the rule changes. And U.S. farmers can, and likely will, challenge the policy in court.
The ban was a heavy-handed response to one infected Canadian cow. When an infected U.S. cow was discovered in Washington state last year, officials risked whiplash as they jumped through hoops to ensure consumers that U.S. beef supplies were safe.
The United States and Canada share a 4,000-mile border, and trade between our countries supports more than two million jobs in each country. Ending the ban on cattle is a positive step toward building better relations.
