One Producer of U.S. Beef Wants to Test All Its Cattle(Not Allowed)

NYT ^ | Published: February 27, 2004 | By SANDRA BLAKESLEE

[varina davis]

BTT

[B4Ranch]

A lot of under the table cash will trading hands over this matter.

[going hot]

I don't see why the Japanese don't buy the cattle one load at a time, and then test them in Japan, then send the next load over, etc. They only need to work out an agreement whereby the payment is delayed by one shipment, in case tests are positive. If I was losing 80 large daily, I would work out a deal of that sort.

[Revel]

Of course I would feel a little safer my self if the meat I eat had been tested also.

[Revel]

It is almost like the government is afraid of what they might find.

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.
Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[going hot]

I would not mind testing either. The Creekstone farms could enter into an agreement with Japan saying that they, creekstone will ship cattle out of country, have them tested abroad, then deliverd to Japan, using existing testing procedures. The Japanese would then have their tested herds, at an increased premium I might add, (less supply, more demand). Creekstone would simply have to stand behind their product and delay payment from Japan by one shipment.

Heck, one step further, they could also send cattle offshore, test them, then re enter the US as closed herd status. This way testing could be accomplished, and I suspect they would have a ready market in the US for "tested beef". I certainly would buy their product.

Might also get the USDA off their fat a$$ and start testing US beef. Wouldn't you like to know if your beef is clean?

[steve86]

If any Department, committee, or individual member of the Federal or State governments gets in the way of universal testing for BSE I'll wish a mild case of Cow Pox on them.

It was found that Madam Sonya had placed the "Pox of Cows on Thee" curse upon the peaceful citizens of Mission Hills when a local dentist had refused to validate her parking after a routine tooth cleaning. She agreed to have her men round up the cows only after she was granted free parking for life by the City Council.

http://gothere.com/SanDiegoHystericalSociety/page40.htm

[Finalapproach29er]

Government interfering in the market. Ordering don't do it!

This is what pisses people off.

[getgoing]

maybe a dumb question, but what would prevent KS livestock groups dealing directly w/Japan (& testing KS bred/raised beef)?

[farmfriend]

maybe a dumb question, but what would prevent KS livestock groups dealing directly w/Japan (& testing KS bred/raised beef)?

I have no clue. Maybe others can answer though.

[OneTimeLurker]

If you ask me, it's almost like the meat producers are afraid of what they might find and they are spending plenty of money to be sure they don't have to realize their fears.

[hedgetrimmer]

Wouldn't it be free trade if the traders (cattlemen) give the buyers what they want? Why would our government stop it since they are _big_ proponents of "free trade"?

[B4Ranch]

Whomever gets their 'testing equipment and process' "approved by the Agriculture Department" will control all testing methods for decades. There is a whole lot of money involved here in being the trend setter.

Then all the other meat producers will have to follow your leads. Enterprise Management Group isn't one of the big three, so that's the other problem. A little guy is coming up against the "Wall" of established market leaders.

farmfriend, check your email.

[SAJ]

A reasonable question...and here is the Japanese Minister of Agriculture's answer (pardon me, I must paraphrase, but the exact words were in Asahi Shimbun, and unquestionably other newspapers, during the week after the critter with BSE was identified -- you remember, the same week that cattle futures were limit-offered 3 days hand running, just after Christmas it was):

''Our nation very carefully tests each of our native (better translation: ''domestically grown'') animals before we at the Ministry allow them (actual term: ''these beasts'' -- a linguistic difference) to be admitted into our stores. When a disease has infected the animals of other nations, we do not shun these animals from our stores. We only ask that those nations observe the same healthful and sensible precautions that we do, before we ask our citizens to accept this meat (better translation: these products) for their homes and families.''

In plain English, the Japs believe that those exporting TO Japan bear the responsibility and the cost of demonstrating that their exports are uncontaminated. Frankly, this seems a pretty reasonable policy to me.

Apologies in advance for not having the precise text to hand, and also for any errors in translation. Unintentional, if occurred, and in any case I've no agenda toward which to attempt to persuade ANYone on this particular topic. However, Japanese protectionism in the ag sector aside, their banning of US and (still, I believe) UK beef -- while possibly a trifle paranoid -- is hardly unreasonable, particularly by their own lights (or, if you insist, in their own culture).

[Straight Vermonter]

American beef exports have plummeted since Dec. 23 when a cow in Washington State was diagnosed with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or B.S.E., a fatal disease that can be passed to humans who eat infected cattle tissue.

Are editors no longer employed by newspapers? First of all no human is going to get bovine spongiform encephalopathy. There is some evidence that people may contract New Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease vCJD but that has not even remotely been proven.

[Boot Hill]

How much would this testing cost per animal?

--Boot Hill

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!!

[eno_]

It is almost like the government is afraid of what they might find.

Do you have any doubt the government lies to you routinely and reflexively?