WINNIPEG — Canada wants the age restriction lifted on mature cows exported to the United States.
Cows shipped to the U.S. must be born after March 1999, according to a rule released in 2007 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
However as time passes there are fewer of these older animals left, said John Masswohl of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association.
“The presumption is the animals are younger than 16 years old,” said Masswohl at the CCA semi annual meeting held in Winnipeg Aug. 11-14.
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Older animals are considered to be in the BSE high risk category, but the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and USDA have agreed the danger is probably over.
The USDA said it would change the age requirement, but little has happened as the agency directed its attention to other issues .
The change is needed because exporters will buy only cows they presume to be about six years of age, said Bill Jameson of the Sask-atchewan marketing company JGL Cattle.
If the change is made the CFIA needs to inform all the accredited veterinarians who sign off on export certificates.
CCA members at the foreign trade committee session also said the information needs to be consistent to prevent discrepancies in the interpretation of the rule.
barbara.duckworth@producer.com
