December 17, 2003

 

 

Canada Believe Beef Industry Will Gain From Openness in BSE Case

 

Canada's openness with regards to a single mad cow case or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Alberta has helped to gain consumer trust in safety of the supply of beef in the country, the executive vice-president of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association said.

 

Dennis Laycraft told a meeting of the Montana Stockgrowers Association on Thursday that Canada will be the first country to see an increase in beef consumption after having a case of BSE.

 

BSE was found in a single cow in Alberta in May. Immediately, the United States and other countries closed their borders to Canadian beef and cattle exports.

 

Polls conducted 10 days after the border closure showed that consumers "trust the food," Laycraft said.

 

A month afterward, 86.5% of Canadians said they trusted the safety of the beef supply.

 

"That's as high as it's ever been," Laycraft said. "The key was the openness of the investigation."

 

Support from retailers and fast-food chains helped maintain domestic demand, Laycraft said.

 

The United States is similarly equipped to deal with the unlikely event of BSE being found there, said Gary Weber, executive director of regulatory affairs for the U.S. National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

 

"Being open and honest with consumers will have huge dividends," Weber said.

 

Although the U.S. border remains closed to Canadian live cattle trade, muscle cuts of boxed beef from animals under 30 months old have been allowed into the United States. Proposed rules for allowing the resumption of live cattle trade this spring are in a comment period.

 

But the United States wants something in return.

 

Canada currently restricts U.S. cattle from going north from October 1 to April 1 each year because Canada fears the introduction of blue tongue and anaplasmosis into their herds.

 

Weber said there is minimal risk of this and that the NCBA (National Cattlemen's Beef Association) will fight any opening of the border to Canadian cattle unless the Canadian government ends that restriction.