March 11, 2004

Canada To Increase Access For US Feeder Cattle

New rules that will significantly increase U.S. feeder cattle access in Canada are expected to be introduced soon, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Minister Bob Speller said Wednesday in a press release.
 
Feeder cattle are animals that are finished during a feeding period before being slaughtered.
 
Effective April 1, the new rules remove anaplasmosis and bluetongue testing and treatment requirements from all feeder cattle imported from the U.S., Speller said.
 
Bluetongue and anaplasmosis are livestock diseases found in the U.S. but not in Canada. Neither disease pose a risk to human health.
 
U.S. feeder cattle from 39 states considered to have a low incidence of bluetongue will be able to enter Canada directly without testing. Feeder cattle from the remaining 11 states, which are considered to have a high incidence of bluetongue, are also not required to be tested, provided they reside for at least 60 days prior to import in a low-incidence state.
 
Testing, however, is still an option, and should the feeder cattle be found free of bluetongue the 60-day period will be waived.
 
Historically, these high-incidence states, all of which are southern, have not exported significant numbers of feeder cattle to Canada. Canada's classification of bluetongue incidence is based on disease surveillance data provided by the United Sates Department of Agriculture.
 
New scientific information and Canadian controls at feedlots lower the risk of bluetongue and anaplasmosis spread from imported animals to Canadian livestock and wildlife. As an added precaution, the new import rules require Canadian feedlots that import U.S. cattle to maintain risk mitigation measures, which include segregation of imported feeder cattle from breeding stock, identification and movement restrictions.
 
"The CFIA will strictly enforce the requirement that imported feeder cattle are identified and tracked. Looking ahead, Canada will continue to monitor this and other import controls, making adjustments as required," Speller said.
 
The new import rules stem from extensive consultation with provinces, territories, industry and other stakeholders. Canada has liberalized its import policies for U.S. feeder cattle several times over the years.
 
Neil Jahnke, president of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association, welcomed the announcement.
 
"The CCA fully supports this policy revision. Canada's approach puts in place appropriate measures to mitigate the risk of disease spread, while acknowledging the integrated nature of the markets north and south of the border," Jahnke said in the release.
 
Recognizing the integration of the Canadian and U.S. livestock industries, both countries have expressed a commitment to work together toward harmonizing disease management policies. The CFIA and the USDA have already initiated discussions to recognize areas of equivalent health status for brucellosis, tuberculosis, bluetongue, and anaplasmosis that may be applied against additional categories of cattle and other livestock. Moving ahead, animal disease experts from Canada and the U.S. will collaborate to develop coordinated approaches where feasible, Speller said.