01/28/05 Cattle groups issue statements on Canada

Washington Ag January 28, 2005 The Washington Cattlemen's Association has issued a position statement regarding live cattle imports from Canada, which the USDA has proposed resuming in March for younger animals. WCA executive Jack Field sums up the bottom line of their position. Field: "We would like to see our export market recaptured. We would like to resume normal trade with our export partners prior to introducing any additional Canadian product into our domestic market, basing that on trade, marketing and economics." The association also lists seven concerns ranging from tracing and identifying Canadian live cattle once they enter the U.S. to questions about compliance with Canada's 1997 feed ban. The WCA believes any females entering the U.S. should be spayed. Field says several other states, including Oregon, have signed on to the WCA position statement which has been forwarded to the USDA and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Earlier in the week the Cattle Producers of Washington stated they want a total closure of the border with Canada to live cattle, boxed and hanging beef and any feed, until BSE issues are resolved. It wants Canada to prove there are no cattle parts in ruminant feed. Canada recently acknowledged secret testing of feed labeled "vegetable only" contained animal protein of unspecified origin. I'm Bob Hoff.