USDA?s Mad Cow Circus Reopens for 2005

The US Dept. of Agriculture?s Dec. 29 proposal to reopen the long-closed US border to imports of live Canadian cattle and a wider range of Canadian boxed beef ran headlong into consumer, rancher and export market concern when Canada?s Food Inspection Agency confirmed Sunday, Jan. 2 that nation?s second case of mad cow disease.

The animal, an 8-year-old Holstein dairy cow in Alberta, was suspected of the disease before USDA released its border-opening rule last Wednesday. According to Canadian government officials, USDA knew about the suspected positive prior to Dec. 29.

Despite the Canadian confirmation, USDA said it would proceed with its new rule, which could open the US market to Canadian live fat and feeder cattle under 30 months of age by March 7.

Trade, Not Safety, Behind Rule to Import Canadian Cattle, Meat

In the 90-page cost/benefits analysis that accompanied USDA?s Dec. 29 rule to expand imports of Canadian beef into the US, the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service gave three reasons for the change now.

First, noted APHIS, ?This rule ensures the continued protection of the U.S. food and feed supply from BSE.?

Second, the rule ?remove(s) unnecessary prohibitions on the importation of certain commodities from minimal-risk regions.?

And third, ?By establishing criteria for minimal-risk regions, the United States has taken a leadership role in fostering trade of low-risk products with countries that have a low incidence of BSE and historically strong risk mitigation measures.?

We?re not making this up.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye: Johanns Says Little at Confirmation

If there?s one rule Presidential appointees need to follow when testifying before Senate committees during confirmation hearings it?s this: As long as you don?t stand on the witness table, get naked and bark like a mad dog it?s 99% certain you?ll be confirmed.

Ag secretary-nominee Michael Johanns followed the rule Thursday, Jan. 6, in his confirmation hearing before the Senate Ag Committee and the Committee actually confirmed him to run USDA while the three-hour hearing continued.

Love, not luck, was in the air at the hearing. Senators from both parties parried more with each other--in tossing bouquets and kudos to Nebraska governor--than with the nominee. To hear them talk Thursday, US farmers and ranchers should canonize the corporate farming supporter Johanns immediately. ...read full article