CATTLE TRADE SHOULD IMPROVE WITH NEW PILOT PROJECT RULES

WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 19, 1998) - U.S. cattlemen will be able to ship more U.S. feeder cattle into Canadian feedlots under new rules adopted by the Canadian government last week, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) said today. The new rules will become effective October 1.

"It's taken four years and a lot of work from cattle producers in Montana and Washington state, as well as pressure from NCBA and congressmen in Washington, D.C. to gain some ground in Canadian trade and help level the playing field," said Dr. Burke Healey, a veterinarian and cattle producer from Oklahoma City, Okla. who is chairman of the NCBA Cattle Health and Well-Being Committee.

"The project uses science-based disease testing requirements to resolve animal-health related trade barriers, making it easier to ship U.S. feeder cattle north while at the same time maintaining safeguards to protect animal health," he said. "Ultimately, it will benefit cattlemen on both sides of the border."

The Northwest Pilot Project was originally implemented last October, but stringent Canadian requirements made it unworkable. The new rules streamline import and inspection requirements on both sides of the border while protecting animal health.

The project waives specific animal testing requirements in order to make cross-border shipment of live cattle more accessible to U.S. cattle producers. In 1997, U.S. cattlemen exported roughly 11,000 feeder cattle to Canada, while Canada exported over 200,000 feeder cattle to the United States.

The regulations apply only to U.S. states that meet disease-free requirements, and Canada will issue permits only to feedlots in Canada that meet specific conditions that minimize disease risk. Montana and Washington are the only U.S. states that currently are participating, but the project could be expanded to all northern tier states.

"The next step is to keep the pressure on Canada to accelerate the regionalization process," said NCBA International Markets Committee Chairman Dana Hauck, a cattle producer from Delphos, Kan.

Regionalization will establish the requirements for importing certain animals and animal products based on the level of disease risk in specified geographical regions. The process will set global standards protecting animal health while supporting free trade.

"The long-term objectives is to eliminate the use of animal health and inspection issues that are not based on sound science as artificial barriers to exports of U.S. cattle, beef and beef products," Hauck said.

Hauck adds that NCBA is working to ensure that regionalization will continue to protect U.S. agriculture from emerging and existing foreign animal diseases while enhancing opportunities for U.S. beef trade in the global marketplace.

-- NCBA --

Initiated in 1898, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is the marketing organization and trade association for America’s one million cattle farmers and ranchers. With offices in Denver, Chicago and Washington, D.C., NCBA is a consumer-focused, producer-directed organization representing the largest segment of the nation’s food and fiber industry.