Updated - July 14, 2003
Details on the compensation
program.
BACKGROUND
On May 20th, the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency (CFIA) announced a confirmed case of Bovine Spongiform
Encephalopathy (BSE, or mad cow disease) in an Alberta cow. The Canadian
Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is the lead agency under the authority of
the Health of Animals Act, for the detection, control and
eradication of all foreign animal diseases.
The animal was slaughtered January 31st and
condemned by provincial authorities. This animal showed no clinical signs
of BSE. The animal was rendered and did not enter the human food chain.
Based on scientific evidence of BSE exposure in cattle
in Great Britain, CFIA introduced a feed ban in 1997 to reduce risk of BSE
in Canada. Ruminant animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, deer, elk and
bison are considered susceptible to transmissable spongiform
encephalopathies (TSE) such as BSE. The feed ban controls what is fed to
ruminant animals and prevents the spread of these types of diseases.
Canadian Cattlemen’s Association has been clear in its
demand for depopulation of any herd associated with traceouts from the
investigation.
TRADE RESTRICTIONS
On the afternoon of May 20th, the USDA
announced trade restrictions for all ruminants and ruminant products from
Canada including beef, dairy, goats, sheep and deer pending further
investigation.
Bans have also been imposed by the following countries:
Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, China, Japan, Argentina, Brazil,
Colombia, Chile, Peru, Cuba, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Panama, Philippines,
Singapore, Malaysia, Russia, South Africa.
CCA has been working closely with CFIA and USDA on
communicating with the network of foreign embassies and contacts. There
have been a number of reports of product being refused entry or recalled.
Government officials are working to ensure accurate implementation of the
ban.
Negotiations on the timeline of re-establishing open
trade between the US and Canada will be largely based on Canadian- US
investigations, source of exposure, index herd test results, measures for
increased surveillance and OIE (international animal health body)
evaluation.
COMMUNICATIONS
OCA is following the communications lead of Canadian
Cattlemen’s Association to ensure consistent messaging across local,
regional, provincial and national press. Communications to date have
focused on CFIA investigation facts, BSE communication messages and more
general references to economic impacts and potential industry losses. In
preparation of a second and third wave of communications OCA has requested
technical resources and support from OMAF on a number of issues including;
- comprehensive economic analysis
- on-farm feeding including rendered product in feed,
feed inspection coordination with CFIA on the feed inspection program
and the proposed Medicated Feed regulations
- provincial plant inspection system and coordination
points with federal inspection agencies
- animal health; BSE, TSE and Chronic Wasting Disease
- rendered products- management and regulations in
Ontario
- transportation and management of non-ambulatory
livestock
INDUSTRY STATS AND IMPACT
Total live cattle exports from Ontario to the US in 2002
totaled 186,000 with an estimated farm-gate value of $354 million. Ontario
processing production is approximately 630,000 head of cattle at federal
and provincial plants. Of this total, 88% are processed at three federal
plants and 12% at provincial plants. The value of finished cattle to
Ontario producers is over $1 billion per year.
FOOD SAFETY AND HUMAN HEALTH
Ontario’s meat inspection system is one of the best in
Canada. In both the federally and provincially inspected abattoirs, all
live animals sent for slaughter and all carcasses are inspected.
OMAF shares in the responsibility for BSE testing with
CFIA. In the past 12 months, over 1000 samples collected from higher risk
cattle sent for slaughter in provincial abattoirs were tested for BSE; all
tests were negative. BSE tests are conducted on all cows over 24 months of
age that are condemned for any reason at provincial plants. Turn around
time for test results is 5-7 days, however priority samples can be tested
within 48 hours.
All non-ambulatory (downer) animals in Ontario must be
certified by a licensed veterinarian before they can be sent for
slaughter.
EXTENT OF US BAN
The US ban covers the following:
-
Live ruminants (imports and transits);
-
Processed animal protein (such as meat and bone meal,
meat meal, bone
meal, blood meal, protein meal, etc.), regardless of species of origin
(not intended to exclude human food in prepackaged, final form);
-
Animal feed (unless demonstrated to be of exclusively
milk or non-animal origin);
-
Pet food (unless animal protein is non-mammalian
origin, under permit conditions);
-
Milk replacers containing animal fat or non-milk
animal protein;
-
Ruminant blood and blood products;
-
Animal vaccines containing ruminant-derived products;
-
Ruminant offal (internal organs, intestines and
tissues not otherwise specified);
-
Ruminant casings;
-
Ruminant glands (including but not limited to
adrenal, pancreas, thymus, thyroid, pituitary, etc.);
-
Ruminant gland extracts/derivatives;
-
Unprocessed ruminant fat;
-
Processed fats and oils;
-
Nutritional supplements containing specified risk
materials (SRMs) *
both in bulk and in final finished package for human or animal
consumption;
-
Ruminant bones;
-
Tankage;
-
Tallow, except for tallow derivatives;
-
Ruminant bone-derived gelatin for animal use (permit
and additional conditions will allow imports for non-animal/industrial
use);
-
Ruminant-derived cartilage and/or chondroitin
sulfate;
-
Non-hide derived collagen (exemptions similar to
those for gelatin for non-animal use); and
-
Ruminant urine/urine derivatives.
-
Ruminant meat and meat products
