End the "Mad Cow" Madness

Tech Central Station ^ | 12/17/2004 | Iain Murray

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.
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I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[FredZarguna]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has long -- and rightly -- argued that the border closure provides no economic or public health benefit.

Since public perception (wrongly or rightly) is an important component of the consumption equation, the USDA's argument goes too far. There are economic benefits in erring on the side of caution. If BSE concerns are dismissed in a way that's scientifically accurate but publicly perceived as too blithe, there will indeed be economic consequences.

In finally addressing permanent, tamper-proof RFID for large food animals, the US will go a long way toward reassuring the consumer. Fortuitously, the technology is now cheap enough, and sophisticated enough, to also provide real management advantages in addition to being a sop for (unwarranted) public fears.

[stm]

What are we going to do about that Mad Canadian Disease though?

[carumba]

Just bring back the 99 cent Whopper at Burger King and I will be happy.

[sd-joe]

Oh heck. This is just a way to slap down that arrogant, uncooperative Canadian government.

[Freebird Forever]

A study by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis showed that even if BSE had been introduced to the U.S. in 1990, well before the offending practice was banned, a worst-case scenario estimated only around 24 infected cattle nationwide.

It is inconceivable for such a low level of infection to pose a real threat to human health.

This reeks of a study whose conclusion was agreed upon prior to it being initiated.

Was this study conducted with only beef animals in the sample group? Or were dairy cattle included also?

If there is no risk, than why has the USDA been so obstructionist in allowing individual beef producers to have their herds tested, even if the producers are willing to foot the bill?

And why does the USDA not require that every dairy cow be tested prior to entering the food chain? The age and feeding practices would place them in the highest risk category for BSE contamination. Especially dairy animals imported from Canada.

After all, testing every animal does create more American jobs which cannot be easily outsourced.

[Don W]

I find it rather sad that Canada was testing DOUBLE the number of cattle it needed to, and BECAUSE the mutually agreed upon system worked, the Canadian (read 99% conservative Canadians, mostly in Western Canada) cattle industry has suffered a brutal blow.

The industry can and will recover, but at what cost?

Your nation and mine agreed to a protocol, and my nation bent over backwards, sideways and upside down to ensure that any eventuality was mutually dealt with in a reasoned and logical manner. Then ONE cow IN Canada (about 30 miles from my family farm, btw) was found, tested and confirmed as BSE positive. ONE other cow that made it across the border as STOCK is suspected.

The USDA and the rest of your government, aided and abetted by the wild-eyed panic-mongers in your press, made MUCH of this "tempest in a teapot", and slammed the border shut.

Even your USDA (admittedly not exactly the paragon of intelligent actions) admits it was mistaken in the Cdn beef ban. WHY won't your elected officials (PUBBIES at that!) work more quickly to correct this obvious and egregious error?

[Caipirabob]

Seems the government is never compelled to act within reason until it is threatened.

[swilhelm73]

Perhaps if Canada wants something from the US, Canada should consider Canada's recent actions and statements by Canada's politicians.

As long as Canada wants to act as the spur in America's side, Canada shouldn't expect much help...

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[B4Ranch]

Spur in the side? No, they have become a knife in our back!

[albertabound]

Letting our cows back in might go a long way to restoring our sanity.

[albertabound]

Unfortunately, the folks who raise the cows and are being hurt the most are not our stupid politicians, they are good conservative pro-American Ranchers.

[albertabound]

If you read the article, you will note that this policy hurts Americans just as much as Canadians.

[prairiebreeze]

mark for later

[Issaquahking]

Canadians have many of the same problems that the U.S. has as far as the countries in logic demography. In Alberta, Most of British Columbia, and Northwest Territories, (places I have traveled through a lot) It's pretty conservative, and depends on natural resource development. They (Canadian locals) don't like a heavy handed government trying to spread bureaucracy in the region either.

Canada and U.S. have a people (sheeple) problem . When sheeple live in the city, they no longer remember, or really know how the dollar in their pocket came to be. Combine this with a government who wants to control you from the cradle to the grave, and a lame stream media, it's bound to be trouble for the rest of the nation. It's a breeding ground for liberalism. Look at the map below and see how liberalism in the U.S. tends to be a city problem. Canada has the same problem.

We (U.S. and Canadian conservatives) need to regain control of our government's ( republicans are rising in America, RINO's are still a threat) paths and get them headed to right way! In doing so, North America will be miles above the rest of the world in a standard of living that we create. Sharing of resources with our neighbor to the North is a reasonable, and prudent move. It's something that needs to in done in the conservative regions first though. Don't want a bunch of liberals trying to steal the thunder of the show. I've yet to have a bad steak in Canada. Let's stop the redundancy, and throwing money out the window where we can, both sides of the line need co-operation, not isolation.

Western Canada you fix Quebec and Vancouver, we (U.S) will continue to work on our goofy coastal cities.


"2004, How America Voted"

[tubebender]

I love that Graphic. Thanks for posting it again...

[lillybet]

And the Gay Canadian Problem toooooooooo

[Carry_Okie]

If BSE concerns are dismissed in a way that's scientifically accurate but publicly perceived as too blithe, there will indeed be economic consequences.

For which virtually no one at USDA is accountable. That's what you get with government "protection."