04/25/05 Canadian border issue developments

American Rancher April 25, 2005 The National Cattlemen's Beef Association has filed a friend of the court brief in USDA's appeal over that preliminary injunction which is keeping the U.S. border closed to young Canadian live cattle. NCBA president elect Mike John explains why the action was taken. Johns: "When U.S. District Court Judge Richard Cebull concluded the Final Rule called Bovine Spongiform Encephalopahty, Minimal Risk Regions and Importation of Commodities, presents a genuine risk of death for U.S. consumers, his opinion was a farm cry from sound science. We can only assume one of two things happened at the District Court hearing. Either the plaintiff, R-CALF, provide the court with flawed information, or the defendant, the Department of Justice on behalf of USDA, inadequately defended the science. Either way, U.S. cattle producers will not let R-CALF or USDA be the only voices representing the science that supports beef is safe from BSE." That friend of the court brief was filed on behalf of the NCBA, the American Farm Bureau, 29 state cattle organizations and 18 state farm bureaus, which John said represent 85 percent of the nation's cattle farms and ranches. Meanwhile, the Canadian Cattlemen's Association and 23 other groups have requested the Canadian government initiate a dispute settlement case under the WTO or NAFTA because of the continued closure of the U.S. border. I'm Bob Hoff.