FORMER federal agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief made a critical move in recent weeks that could encourage an earlier end to the American ban on live Canadian cattle.
He announced the review of protocols on animal health that restrict the entry of American feeder cattle from April to October.
The regulations concern anaplasmosis and bluetongue, diseases that are rare in Canadian cattle. One is spread by a tick and the other by a mite. The insects do not survive in cold weather, so American cattle can be accepted into Canada during the winter.
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In summer, however, Canada-bound cattle must be tested, and the related costs and delays are particularly vexing for cattle producers in states close to the large Alberta feedlot industry. The issue has been a thorn in American traders’ sides for years.
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and other producer groups have equally been pushing to relax the rules and open the border year-round to American feeder cattle.
It’s not that they need the competition. Rather, they agree with American claims that the rules are protectionist, particularly since anaplasmosis and bluetongue are of low incidence, low prevalence and low economic significance among Canadian animal diseases.
Considering the extent of cross-border cattle trade, at least until last May, the whole North American cattle industry is keen on open trade policies.
As the United States considers whether and when to reopen live cattle trade, there are pressing reasons to change the protocols.
- A change would be a show of good faith in international trade.
- It would give more credence to Canadian cattle groups’ stated intentions to harmonize the industry.
- It could appease certain factions in the U.S. cattle industry who advocate continued border closure and who use Canada’s animal health policies as ammunition in the fight.
- That, in turn, might speed the re-opening of the border on which the Canadian cattle business depends.
No one wants to expose the domestic herd to additional disease risk. Anaplasmosis and bluetongue have thus been the focus of studies to explore the likelihood that year-round acceptance of U.S. cattle would pose a threat.
Those studies point to a negligible risk for bluetongue and a manageable risk for anaplasmosis.
And unlike BSE, they pose no human health threat.
They would remain on the list of reportable diseases subject to quick action and containment if cases are suspected.
As with BSE, animal health officials know more about anaplasmosis and bluetonge than they did when existing regulations were enacted.
Changes are due and the timing has never been better.
