02/28/07 CPoW opposes enforcement bills

Washington Ag February 28, 2007 The Cattle Producers of Washington is opposing House and Senate Bills that would strengthen the ability of the Washington State Department of Agriculture to enforce the state's animal health regulations. CPoW's opposition stems from language in House Bill 1310 and Senate Bill 5204 that exempts imported cattle, like Canadian cattle, from health inspections if they are going for immediate slaughter. The definition of immediate slaughter is three calendar days and CPoW says 72 hours is plenty of time to provide an opportunity for the transmission or spread of a disease. CPoW points to recent reports about the problems the WSDA has had tracking imported cattle and is dismayed the department is pushing legislation it says would place Washington state at even further risk of foreign disease. Both the Washington Cattlemen's Association and the Washington State Dairy Federation support the bills CPoW opposes. Meanwhile USDA's proposed rule on allowing Canadian cattle over 30 months of age into the U.S. is still in public comment until March 12th. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns says nothing about the rule is a done deal. Johanns: "No it is not. I mean we are still very much in rule making. So we will see what the comments say and then go from there." I'm Bob Hoff.