QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS The Importation of Certain Ruminant Products from Canada (beef etc.)

Q. Will the import of certain products from Canada impact U.S. export markets? A. We have been in close communication with our export partners regarding these actions. After failing to implement appropriate BSE preventative measures---measures that have been in place in Canada and the United States since 1989---Japan has had seven reported cases of BSE. The Japanese consumer received mixed messages about BSE and consumer confidence fell. Japan’s government responded by requesting an identification process from all beef suppliers----and this was being discussed prior to BSE in Canada.

We do not feel that the Japanese government is justified in its decision to exclude Canadian beef from our beef and beef products exported to Japan. Although the United States does not believe such steps are necessary, we are working to provide the industry a system that can be used to verify U.S. beef exports.

Q. Why is a certification process needed if Canadian beef is safe? A. We do not feel that it is needed. Japan is basing its identification requirement on commercial marketing factors and not on science-based principles. However, in order to maintain an important export market for U.S. beef, we are working to provide a requested measure that meets Japan’s current marketing expectations. Other foreign suppliers to Japan had already agreed to the Japanese demands.

A process verification system for beef exports to Japan is voluntary. It is a proven marketing tool that is currently used by many different sectors of the U.S. beef industry at all levels of marketing, but it has nothing to do with food safety.

We will continue to work to convince Japan to remove this unnecessary requirement.

Q. How does the permitting process change the risk of BSE occurring in the United States? A. Our experts have thoroughly reviewed the scientific evidence and determined that the risk to public health is extremely low. We feel that the Canadian system of beef production and processing has been and continues to be based on a strong foundation of preventive measures to keep BSE from spreading. Canada has also taken numerous actions, including an effective feed ban in the 1990's, an aggressive surveillance program, and a heightened awareness at ante-mortem inspection for central nervous system disorders to minimize the risk of BSE.

In addition, the U. S. has had a strong system of preventive measures in place since 1997. We have had a feed ban in place since 1997 that, according to a Harvard Risk Assessment, has been the U.S.’s most effective means of BSE prevention. The U.S. has continued to expand the BSE surveillance program as well as strengthen efforts on feed ban compliance. We are currently evaluating all of our safeguards to ensure that they reflect the most recent science.

Other countries such as Japan that have found recurring cases of BSE did not effective preventive programs in place until after a case of BSE was found.

Q. Should the United States take any additional preventive actions? A. Canada announced additional steps that are appropriate for a country that has had a case of BSE. The U.S. has already taken aggressive action to provide multiple firewalls against BSE, including prohibiting certain specified risk material in ground beef products and has an active surveillance program in place to ensure risk material is not present. Although we feel confident that safeguards currently in place provide ample safety, we will continue to reassess our safeguard measures using science based principles. We have asked Harvard to re-evaluate its BSE risk assessment in light of the single case of BSE in Canada.

Q. Can you explain the justification for allowing such products as boxed beef in from Canada? The USDA Transmissable Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE) Working Group continues to reassess the information that they had been working on for some time prior to the Canadian case regarding the identification of products that present low risk for carrying the BSE-infectious agent. Based on peer-reviewed research, muscle cuts do not appear to transmit infection. Whole muscle boneless cuts of beef from countries in the same risk category as Canada do not contain the types of nervous system tissues that could carry the BSE-infectious agent.

Boneless beef containing whole muscle cuts are very low risk, do not contain central nervous system tissues and will be allowed to be imported only from cattle younger than 30-months of age.

The U.S. is taking a measured approach to allowing low risk materials from Canada into the U.S. The U.S. believes that Canada, like the U.S., has had an effective prevention system in place for many years in order to reduce the likelihood that the BSE-infective agent was present. We believe that the Canadian system of beef production and processing has been and continues to be based on a strong foundation of BSE prevention measures. The combination of an effective feed ban in the 1990's, an aggressive surveillance program, and a heightened awareness at ante-mortem inspection for CNS disorders has been effective in reducing the risk of BSE in Canada.

In addition, Canada has had a regulatory system for beef slaughter and processing that has been deemed equivalent to the U.S. system. Since the identification of the BSE case in Canada, the U. S. government has sent delegations of scientists to Canada to further improve the preventive and compliance measures employed by Canada to ensure that the on-going systems are sound and effective.

Q. Are you confident that the single Canadian cow is an isolated case? A. Canada conducted an extensive investigation into the case of BSE including the trace back and trace forward of the suspected animals of origin. Canada depopulated over 2700 animals that could have been associated with the case animal and tested them for BSE. No other cases were found. In addition, Canada had an international expert panel review their investigation and found it to be scientifically valid.

Canada had strong mitigation steps in place, including a ruminant feed ban, to prevent the spread of BSE should a case been found--mitigation steps not present in other BSE countries such as Japan. As noted in the 2001 Harvard Risk Assessment, this type of ban is an important measure to prevent the spread of the animal disease. Canada has implemented additional measures as necessary in response to the finding of the case of BSE.

Info straight from the bovines mouth. Additional Q&A/info on link.

Prairie

2 posted on 08/09/2003 7:07:24 AM PDT by prairiebreeze (Middle East terrorists to the world: " We don't want no STINKING PEACE!!")

I think the issue here is not so much safety, since this is obviously not a serious outbreak. Rather it is the appearance of safety. US beef has a great reputation and any of us who export beef would hate to have to deal with consumers who are uncertain about the safety of our beef.

The Europeans have had great success at killing US food imports by labeling American products "Frankenfood". I'd like to avoid having something similar happen in Asia and elsewhere.

4 posted on 08/09/2003 7:41:47 AM PDT by Straight Vermonter (...they led my people astray, saying, "Peace!" when there was no peace -- Ezekiel 13:10)

"Canada depopulated over 2700 animals..."

An odd turn of phrase, which I really do not like the sound of!

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