March 26, 2007

Funds to help Canadian province's beef industry against BSE
 

The governments of Ottawa and Alberta province in Canada are investing nearly $40 million in Alberta's beef industry to help eliminate the presence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in the province's cattle herds.

The funding is part of the $80 million which is geared on SRM (specified risk material) removal programs nationwide. 

It will also help the province's cattle industry comply and adapt to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's enhanced feed ban, which takes effect on July 12.

The ban will see the removal of all SRM- tissues that can harbour BSE - from all animal feeds, pet foods and fertilizers.

Meanwhile, the US Agriculture Department (USDA) remains mum on resuming imports of older Canadian cattle and reports say it could take several months before officials make their final ruling.

The US has closed the border to Canadian cattle after the first of nine mad-cow cases was detected in Alberta in May 2003. It reopened in July 2005 for cows less than 30 months old thought to be at less risk of contracting the disease.

Canadian producers say resuming trade in older cows will give them an extra $450 million a year.

Protectionist rancher groups in the US have fought to keep the border closed to Canadian beef, but have so far been overruled by Washington and the US courts.