Canadian cattle officials believe a letter by four American senators to their agriculture secretary wanting to limit access to more Canadian cattle is just windy words.
The senators, all from cattle-producing states, want U.S. agriculture secretary Mike Johanns to recognize the hurt the proposed Rule 2 would have on American cattle producers and limit more Canadian access.
“Maybe it’s optimism, but I think that the majority of new congressmen and senators see the value of two-way trade,” said Canadian Cattlemen’s Association president Hugh Lynch-Staunton.
The United States Department of Agriculture published its proposed rule Jan. 9, which would permit Canadian cattle born after March 1, 1999, to be imported into the U.S.
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Public comments, including the senators’s letter, will be received until March 12.
“Increasing U.S. imports of Canadian cattle and beef at this time would have a significant negative impact on the economic well-being of American cattle producers and could seriously disrupt our efforts to expand U.S. beef exports overseas. … Furthermore, expanding Canadian cattle imports increases the possibility that a future case of BSE in a Canadian animal may be found in the United States,” said the letter.
After USDA officials deal with every issue of concern from the public comment, the House of Representatives and Senate will have an opportunity to pass, amend or rescind the rule.
“We’re hoping there’s not enough of them with an anti-Canadian sentiment to do that,” he said.
Lynch-Staunton said there is a general recognition that Canada is not a risk for spreading BSE through cattle imports. There is also a growing recognition that if Americans want to have other countries open their borders to American beef, they have to play by the same rules.
