11/28/05 USDA plans rule on older Canadian cattle

American Rancher November 28, 2005 USDA plans to expedite the rule making process to allow Canadian cattle over 30 months of age to be imported into the United States by mid- 2006. USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Administrator Dr. Ron Dehaven, says allowing in older Canadian cattle is scientifically justified. Dehaven: "We feel that the science is there in that when give the level of surveillance that has been done in Canada, which is comparable to the level of surveillance that we are doing with enhanced surveillance program, given the feed ban that is in place now and we know that it has been very effective at least since 2001, and given the safeguards we have in place in both countries to remove specified risk material, that the science does support it from the standpoint of any product that might enter into our food chain." R-CALF USA says USDA's plan not only will increase the financial risks to U.S. cattle producers, but also potentially expose the U.S. to an increased risk of importing BSE. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association says it will not support a rule on Canadian cattle over 30 months of age until there is science based harmonization on all animal health issues such as the barriers Canada has on the movement of U.S. breeding cattle. I'm Bob Hoff.