Cattlemen Discuss Many Aspects
of BSE
PHOENIX (Janaury 29) - Cattlemen Thursday
received a firsthand report from the nation’s leaders who are
dealing with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and then discussed
the many aspects of BSE that are affecting the cattle and beef industries.
Members of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA)
attending the annual Convention and Trade Show listened to an address
from U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman and heard
updates from other leaders in her agency.
Dr. Ron DeHaven, chief veterinary officer for USDA, briefed cattlemen
on the status of the BSE investigation, which be believes will be
completed in the coming weeks.He said the BSE incident underscored
the need for a national animal ID system that allows for rapid trace
back.
He said that we must continue working to change the trade response
of countries regarding BSE to be based on science and not perception.
Dr. Garry McKee of the Food Safety Inspection Service explained the
agency’s policy on downer animals and the steps it has taken
to ensure delivery of a safe food supply. “We will err on the
side of caution,” he said.“All parties need to take responsibility
to make sure our food supply is the safest in the world.”
Dr. Stephen Sundlof, director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine,
explained the decisions behind the Jan. 27 announcement by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration to extend the feed ban.The latest action
removes exemptions for certain products that weren’t included
in the 1997 ban on feeding ruminant-to-ruminant protein.FDA’s
actions ban the feeding of poultry litter, exclude blood from use
in cattle feed, and disallow the use of plate waste from restaurants
for use as a cattle feed.Additionally, specified risk materials from
cattle over 30 months of age have been banned from use in cosmetics
and dietary supplements.
In separate forums, cattlemen discussed the trade implications of
BSE, animal identification, consumer response and the economics surrounding
the situation.
The loss of 90 percent of U.S. beef export markets has cost the industry
an estimated $13 to $14 per cwt. on fed cattle prices.This also means
there is an additional 45 million pounds of beef the domestic market
must absorb on a weekly basis, a sum equal to 60,000 head of fed cattle
per week.
The market is still adjusting to the aftermath of BSE and the new
regulations that have governed it since Dec. 30.While acknowledging
that there will be economic pain with these changes, some saw benefits
coming out of the chaos.
“In the end, the public is going to look at this and say ‘you’re
doing the right thing; you’re being conservative,’”
said Gary Weber, Ph.D., NCBA executive director of regulatory affairs.“I
think that’s what they want to continue to hear.”
Others noted that the changes will make for a more consistent beef
supply in terms of quality.
Of concern and still unresolved is how the industry will handle cattle
over 30 months of age.Due to the ban of specified risk materials from
these animals and other factors, most market watchers are expecting
a discount to be applied to these animals.Representatives from Packerland
and Excel told cattlemen that their companies still were sorting through
how this class of cattle would be handled.
