SDSGA & Guy E. Ham Beef Industry Scholarships
Last updated:
08/13/2008
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God Bless America!
R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America
"KEEP U.S. BEEF SAFE!"
An Alert Safety Fact Sheet To Protect U.S. Consumers
ALERT FACT 1: As They Lower Protections Against Imported Canadian Beef, Federal Officials Refuse To Tell Consumers Where The Beef Is From.
On March 7th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will lift a ban against imported Canadian meat products, essentially gutting existing protections and lowering U.S. standards significantly below international ones practiced by most industrialized countries. USDA takes this step, as it continues to oppose mandatory labeling of meat to provide consumers the choice of steaks and burgers from cattle born and raised in the United States or from cattle or meat products imported from another country. In 2002, Congress passed a law specifically requiring meat products to have a "country of origin" label. USDA has lobbied Congress to delay the law’s implementation twice: once in 2002 and again in 2004. The agency has made clear its opposition to mandatory labeling and has sought to have the law repealed.
ALERT FACT 2: The USDA Inspection Stamp Is False Advertising.
Many consumers believe that the USDA Inspection Stamp implies that meat products either come from U.S. cattle and/or have been inspected by U.S. government officials. The truth about the USDA Inspected Stamp is more complicated. The USDA stamp does not mean the meat is from cattle born and raised in the United States. It could be from any one of the 13 countries we import beef from.
ALERT FACT 3: Mad Cow Found In Four Cows Born & Raised In Canada In Past 21 Months
Why USDA would want to lift the ban on Canadian meat imports is puzzling, given that mad cow disease has been identified in four cows born and raised in Canada during the past 21 months.
- FIRST COW: May 2003
- SECOND COW: December 2003 (identified in U.S.; born and raised in Canada)
- THIRD & FOURTH COWS: January 2005
ALERT FACT 4: The One & Only U.S. Cow With BSE Was Born & Raised In Canada
In December 2003, a Canadian born and raised cow was slaughtered in the State of Washington. Meat from the cow had been packaged and distributed to seven states, before anyone identified the disease in the cow’s remains.
ALERT FACT 5: To Date, No U.S. Born & Raised Cow Has Been Detected With BSE.
Even prior to growing concerns about mad cow disease, the United States in 1989 adopted some of the world’s toughest import safety standards to protect consumers. After over 15 years of testing, not one single case of mad cow has been found in a U.S. born and raised cow. Allowing Canadian cattle to enter into the country before Canada eradicates BSE from its herd is a contradiction of this country’s historically successful disease prevention strategy. Lifting the ban also represents a shift in philosophy from preventing and avoiding the problem to increasing the risk of mad cow in this country.
ALERT FACT 6: Canada Has Weakest Control Measures Of Any Country With BSE.
Of those countries with BSE, Canada has the weakest control measures. For example, Japan tests every slaughtered cow for mad cow disease. European countries test every cow over 30 months. Other countries, such as France, test cows even younger than 30 months.
ALERT FACT 7: Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China Among 33 Countries That Ban Canadian Beef.
The Asian rim countries, especially China, have been identified as essential to the growth of U.S. beef exports. By lowering protection standards in this country and allowing imports of Canadian beef, the U.S. meat markets risk extensions of existing bans as well as being banned by other countries in the future. Currently, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, China, and many other countries have banned meat products from both the U.S. and Canada. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice recently raised the issue of Japan lifting completely a ban on imports of U.S. beef during a meeting with her Japanese counterpart.
ALERT FACT 8: Canada Refuses To Stop Contaminating Cattle Feed
News reports originating in Canada indicate that as much as 70% of cattle feed samples tested contained unauthorized animal parts, suggesting that Canada has not adequately enforced its feed ban. A ban on using animal parts in cattle feed is recognized as the single most important measure for controlling BSE.
ALERT FACT 9: U.S. Bans Consumers From Buying Inexpensive Drugs From Canada, But Opens Border For Potentially Unsafe Meat
While federal government officials don’t trust Canadian officials to distribute safe pharmaceuticals that are less expensive than American-made drugs, they apparently trust them well enough to sell U.S. consumers their beef.