Another Canadian Cow with Mad Cow: Does Anybody Care?

Today’s announcement of another mad cow in Canada was apparently met with a total yawn by the American press. While the press release, Canadian Food Inspection Agency – News Release – BSE Case Confirmed in British Columbia was picked up by several Canadian outlets (as well as an Australian one), U.S. media appears to have ignored it except in the agricultural press.

It is of interest to American agribusiness because of the current effort to remove the existing restrictions on movement of Canadian cattle and beef into the United States.  All Canadian beef was restricted in 2003 after the discovery of a BSE infected cow in Canada.  In 2005, that ban was partially lifted, and last year, the USDA proposed a rule that would allow importation into the U.S. of any Canadian cattle born after Canada’s 1999 ban of using rendered cattle and high risk material in cattle feed.  Comments for that rule closed in March.  The animal in the current case would have been allowed into the U.S. system under that proposed rule.

Currently, any live cattle imported from Canada must be under 30 months of age and must be going directly to a feedlot or processing facility.

Of course, beef that are 100% grass fed have never eaten any "feed," just grass and hay.  Although no one else seems to care, I’m glad we eat our own beef.