CALGARY – The BSE issue is drawing to a close for 30 producers who had cattle put down because of the fatal brain disease.
Compensation for the animals destroyed has been paid to almost all who had cattle suspected of carrying the disease sometimes called “mad cow disease” and properly known as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). Imports from Britain that entered Canada between 1982 and 1990 were affected.
Heidi Grogan at the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association office in Calgary said nearly all claimants have been paid, with a few waiting to complete data on value of the animals.
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The CCA set up a special industry fund with money left from the tripartite stabilization account. A maximum of $5,000 per animal, with $2,000 coming from Agriculture Canada’s compensation program, was available. Actual figures were not released to protect privacy of the producers involved, said Grogan.
Anyone pursuing legal action against the government or cattle industry is not eligible for the compensation fund.
Three litigants are awaiting their day in court: two in federal court and the other in the Supreme Court of Canada.
All major trading partners have accepted Canada’s BSE-free status. Only Costa Rica has a ban on Canadian cattle, genetics and by-products.
