OT: BSE (aka Mad Cow Disease) in the US

[DavidG]

Originally posted by Renegade 13:

Personally, I think the US will have no choice but to open their borders to Canadian beef. They're going to say that their beef is perfectly safe, that the consumer has nothing to fear; it was only one isolated case after all. However, that's the exact same as it was in Canada, many months ago. So if the US keeps the border closed while saying that their own beef is still safe, it will show a double standard, and the consumer will not be pleased. They'll say "Well if our beef is safe when we had one case, why isn't Canada's?" And that could start something no beef industry in the US or Canada wants.

Renegade

Yea it is interesting how all of a sudden they are saying beef is safe in spite of one case of BSE. The intersting thing is that the case is not the same as Canada's at all. It's worse. I think in the US case the beef actually entered the food chain.
Also I the animal in question was dead before it went to be processed. I could be wrong but I think this practice is Banned in Canada. Edit: Actually I'm sure it is Banned. I'm surprised I forgot but there was a big stink in Ontario when a processing plant was accused of using deadstock.

Of course the real reason that the US should imediataly reopen the border to Canadian beef is that the only reason they claim it was still closed was because of the Japanese threats. Since Japan has now Banned US imports there would seem to be little reason to continue the Canadian ban.

[ December 26, 2003, 12:46: Message edited by: DavidG ]