Letter to the Editor

WIFE: Keep Canadian border closed

Friday, January 7, 2005

Women Involved in Farm Economics today called for cattle producers and beef consumers to raise their united voice in protest against the proposed rules recently published by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) concerning the reopening of the Canadian border on March 7, 2005. On January 2nd, Canada announced another bovine spongiform en-cephalopathy case in Canada. This is the third BSE positive animal of Canadian origin. Over 21,000 animals were tested for BSE in Canada during 2004.

The final rule on reopening the Canadian border, entitled "Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy: Minimal Risk Regions and Importation of Commodities," was published on Jan. 4. There will be a 60- day review by Congress.

During this review Congress will have the opportunity to modify, approve or reject the entire rule. WIFE is urging Congressional representatives to look at the latest scientific data, lack of compliance with Canada's ban on animal parts in animal feed and this latest BSE case and reject the proposed rules.

"The announcement of the USDA to open the Canadian border on March 7 to animals 30 months of age and younger is irresponsible to say the least," declared Mary Ann Murray, Jordan, Mont., National WIFE Beef Chairman. Murray expressed alarm that new discoveries concerning BSE were ignored when the new rules were written.

Murray was also alarmed that 70 feed samples labeled as "vegetable only" were tested by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency between January and March 2004 and were found to contain "undeclared animal materials." This information was obtained by The Vancouver Sun. Canada has had feed bans in place restricting the use of ruminant-to-ruminant feeds since 1997.

"Obviously, there is some lack of Canadian feed industry compliance with this ban and also a lack of government enforcement," stated Murray.

Canadian sources continue to point to the fact that all Canadian cases of BSE were born prior to the 1997 ban. However, an Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service report dated October 3, 2003 revealed the BSE-infected Canadian cow found in Canada in 2003 was not properly disposed of and her remains ended up in the animal feed system.

"APHIS and USDA knew of this problem yet that information seems to have been ignored when the current plans to open the border were announced," acknowledged Murray.

"There are numerous reasons NOT to reopen the Canadian border," concluded Murray.

"This is a health issue that affects the health of beef eaters and the financial health of the cattle industry and, therefore, demands the attention of both producers and consumers."

WIFE encourages the public to immediately contact Congressional representatives.

-- Pam Potthoff is director of media relations for Women Involved in Farm Economics.

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