Ten months ago, it was described as a plan necessary to make the Canadian cattle industry even more immune to BSE.
But almost a year after the federal government announced a plan to strengthen anti-BSE rules by removing specified risk materials from the entire animal feed chain, the ban is far from becoming law.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is considering a wide variety of conflicting advice on the issue, including opposition to a total SRM ban from the major packing companies, the group that would have to implement it.
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A government promise to set aside $80 million to help provinces and slaughterhouses dispose of the tonnes of SRM material is in jeopardy because it is included in the Liberals’ 2005 budget bill, which may never receive parliamentary approval.
A potential spring election would slow down the decision process.
“In practical terms, we have been examining the comments on the proposals and frankly it is not a simple issue,” said CFIA communications official Alain Charette. “We are talking about a broad response from the industry and some questions raised that had not been considered. We are considering all the points.”
He said consultations on SRM removal have not even been held yet with the three prairie provinces.
“And of course, if an election is called, it means the ability for government to make decisions during that period slows down or ends,” he said. “That’s the nature of the beast.”
At the Canadian Meat Council representing Canada’s major packers, executive director Jim Laws said his members oppose a universal SRM removal from the animal feed chain. If the most risky material Ñ brain and spinal cord Ñ was removed, 90 percent of the risk would be gone and the mass of discarded material would be sharply diminished.
He said the packers have a concern about different rules in different provinces and they have warned the government not to move faster than the United States, which is not considering a total SRM ban.
“We have put forth our views and we are concerned about the lack of disposal options in some provinces, different rules in some provinces and the competitive issues around moving faster and farther than the Americans,” he said.
Laws said the packing companies did not lobby the government for the $80 million promise of money in the February budget to help pay the costs of total SRM removal.
When he announced the total ban proposal last year, former agriculture minister Bob Speller said it was a safety issue that should be addressed.
“Preventing these potentially infectious materials from entering the entire feed production chain at the start diminishes the effects of potential cross-contamination of ruminant animal feeds that could occur as feed is produced and distributed, as well as any inappropriate on-farm use,” he said.
Speller said the SRM removal proposal would make the Canadian system safer.
“Based on risk analyses, removing SRM from animal feed will more quickly reduce the incidence of BSE in North America by preventing future disease spread.”
Ten months later, this BSE prevention measure remains mired in process.
