NCBA wants standards to govern movement into Canada

Washington, D.C.-The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) is calling for science-based standards in normalizing cattle movement with Canada.

The association says in a statement, "As the U.S. moves forward on resuming trade of live cattle with Canada, it is imperative we use a science-based approach to determine animal health standards, including those governing the movement of U.S. cattle into Canada," say NCBA leaders in a letter to USDA Secretary Ann Veneman.

"For decades, Canada has used animal health issues without application of sound science to create barriers in the selling of feeder cattle, breeding stock and semen and embryos from the United States to Canada. Continued testing requirements by Canada for anaplasmosis, bluetongue, tuberculosis and brucellosis should not be tolerated," NCBA CEO Terry Stokes and NCBA President Eric Davis say in the letter. "There is no science, today, that supports the requirements that Canada has imposed upon the U.S. cattle industry."

Cattle industry leadership wrote the letter following meetings recently in Washington with the Secretary on key issues facing the U.S. as a result of the BSE situation in Canada. NCBA continues to emphasize the need for a "science-based approach" as the two countries work toward resolving these complicated issues.

But NCBA explains, "If we are to apply the use of science and risk assessment in the U.S. on BSE, Canada should do the same on these other issues. We cannot have a double standard. It is paramount that we achieve trade parity as we resume trade with Canada."

NCBA has maintained the following principles should be used in addressing the BSE situation in Canada:

• All decisions on trade requirements must be science-based and consistent with the Harvard risk assessment study.

• All standards agreed upon between the U.S. and other trading partners must be equivalent for both international and domestic consumers of beef.

• USDA must, promptly and proactively, communicate with the public and the beef industry on the progress of the investigation in Canada and the status of reestablishing trade, including the process and timeline for reopening the border.

• As negotiations on reopening the border occur, USDA-APHIS should seize the opportunity to create a harmonization of animal health standards to allow an equitable flow of cattle in both directions.