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Canada and U.S. share similar BSE risk profiles
- Both countries have had effective ruminant to ruminant feed bans since 1997.
- Neither country has ever detected a native born BSE case in an animal born after the feed ban.
- Both countries conduct approximately equivalent levels of testing to detect BSE.
- Both countries target the highest risk animals for testing.
- Both countries have implemented virtually identical policies to remove SRMs from human food.
- Canada and U.S. continue to work together to further harmonize our BSE control policies.
- Canada has treated the U.S. beef industry fairly:
- When the U.S. found BSE in Washington State, Canada did not close its borders to U.S. boneless beef products or animals for slaughter. Canada took this decision before the birthplace of the Washington State cow was known.
- Canada has delivered on a long-standing U.S. cattle industry objective to gain year round access for U.S. feeder cattle into Canadian feedlots.
- Canada has allowed all U.S. beef products to transit its territory enroute to Alaska. Canada has not withdrawn this privilege in the face of USDA's decision to halt transshipment of some Canadian products to Mexico.
- After USDA's unexpected April 19 memo, Canada completed what is normally a 60 day regulatory process in 48 hours to reciprocate.
- After the U.S. withdrew its April 19 memo, Canada did not roll back its access for U.S. products.
- Canada has supported U.S. efforts to open the Mexican market to U.S. products.
Current Situation
Although Canada and the U.S. have identical BSE risk levels, Canada currently allows the importation of all U.S. beef and beef products and live U.S. cattle for slaughter, while the U.S. allows only a very limited category of Canadian beef and no live animals.
The current situation is untenable and cannot be justified by the United States on the basis of science.
The United States Government needs to act quickly to resume imports of all Canadian beef and live animals.
