R-CALF critical of USDA

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Billings, Mont. – Today, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced yet another case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) – this time in a 7-year-old British Columbia dairy cow.

R-CALF

USA

remains convinced that it took the proper action in court in order to halt imports of Canadian cattle over 30 months (OTM) of age. In fact, comments are due today for the new rulemaking that the U.S. District Court ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct as a result of the lawsuit filed by R-CALF

USA

and 10 other plaintiffs against the OTM Rule, which allows into the U.S. OTM cattle and beef from Canada.

“USDA can no longer operate with its head in the sand when it comes to Canada’s BSE problems,” said R-CALF

USA

CEO Bill Bullard. “This makes the fourth case of Canadian BSE in 2008, and the sixth Canadian case in animals born in 2000-2001.

“Probably most important of all is the fact that USDA officially declared that Canada’s feed ban became effective on March 1, 1999, and any Canadian cattle born after that date would unlikely be exposed to BSE,” he continued. “Today’s announcement marks the ninth incidence of BSE in Canadian cattle eligible for importation into the U.S. because this animal was born after that arbitrary date of March 1, 1999. It is beyond ridiculous for our government to continue to ignore the obvious risks with Canadian cattle and to put U.S. beef consumers at risk, as well as risking damage to the reputation of independent U.S. cattle producers and the reputation of the safe, wholesome product they have worked so hard to promote.”

R-CALF USA – again – is calling upon USDA to immediately begin testing of all Canadian cattle slaughtered in both Canada and the

United States

and to immediately withdraw its OTM Rule.

Note: To view/download CFIA’s news release on this latest case of BSE, please visit the “BSE-Litigation” link at www.r-calfusa.com .