Nebraska Cattlemen mull proposed USDA rule on Canadian cattle
US - USDA is expected to publish a rule in the Federal Register January 9th that will let any Canadian cattle born after March 1st of 1999 into the U.S. for any purpose and will also allow greatly expanded beef product imports from Canada as well. Nebraska Cattlemen Executive Vice President Mike Kelsey tells Brownfield the group needs to find answers to some important questions before it decides whether to support or oppose the proposed rule. And he says the fundamental question is one of fairness.Specifically, Kelsey said Nebraska Cattlemen wants to know how Canadian cattle will be identified and tracked. He pointed out the current USDA rule allowing Canadian slaughter cattle under 30 months of age into the U.S. has very strict procedures in place to control and track the movement of those animals. Kelsey said he's not sure that's the case under the new rule.
"When you start talking cattle over 30 months and breeding cattle and those types of things, how are those cattle going to be identified, then how are they going to be tracked and traced and monitored?" Kelsey queried. "Those are the types of questions we need answered."
Source: Brownfield Ag News