R-CALF Suit Fails To Close Border

CALGARY - Nov 19/07 - SNS -- Efforts by the lobby group, R-CALF, to keep the U.S. border closed to imports of Canadian cattle have failed to prevent border trade from opening up, reports the Canadian Cattleman's Association (CCA).

All cattle born on or after March 1, 1999 and beef products from cattle of any age can now be exported to the United States from Canada, "despite R-CALF's motion for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) being filed with the U.S. District Court in South Dakota late on November 16. If the TRO was accepted by the Court, it would have prevented Rule 2 from coming into effect until a hearing on R-CALF's request for a preliminary injunction could be heard."

The association said it is "pleased that the expanded list of Canadian cattle and beef eligible for export to the United States is now in effect and we look forward to further openings in the rest of the world. There is negligible risk associated with the resumption of trade for these products and this is in line with the science-based, international standards of the World Organisation for Animal Health, the OIE. The Canadian beef industry is committed to meeting the domestic and international animal health and food safety requirements. There are a number of multi-layered safeguards in place to ensure food and animal safety and Canada recently implemented an enhanced feed ban to accelerate the eradication of BSE in the Canadian herd."

It is unclear when R-CALF's request for a preliminary injunction will be heard. The CCA said it will continue to monitor this and challenge any legal obstacles.