12/05/06 Rule on older Canadian cattle moving

American Rancher December 5, 2006 Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns is looking at 2007 as the year to get that rule done which would open up the U.S. to Canadian cattle and beef from animals older than 30 months of age. Johanns: "What we have coming forward here is a rule for older animals and beef from older animals. That rule is really in the final stages of our process. Once it gets through that process then it is published and people have an opportunity to comment and we literally go through the rule making process. About a year ago I said we hoped to have this done in 06 and then we had an additional younger animal in Canada so we pulled the rule back. But today I can tell you I hope to have this rule through the process in 07. We are that far along internally and I think we will have this rule out pretty quickly." There is still a legal action against the USDA brought by R-CALF USA in January of 2005 over the department's minimal risk rule. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals recently denied a USDA motion, which R-CALF says gives it the right to appeal and if that appeal is won there will be an opportunity for a court to hear facts and scientific evidence about the BSE situation in Canada. I'm Bob Hoff.