Legal fight goes on as USDA rule on older Canuck cattle gets OK

US - The White Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has given its approval to a proposed USDA rule that would allow an expanded roster of Canadian beef products and cattle older than 30 months back into the U.S. It's expected the rule would allow not just older Canadian slaughter cattle across the U.S. border, but replacement heifers as well.

5 January 2007

1 minute read

North America

The OMB nod, which came without any recommended changes, means USDA can now publish the proposed final rule in the Federal Register and solicit public comments for a period of weeks or months. After reviewing the public comments, and perhaps making some additional changes to the rule as a result, USDA would then publish the final rule in the Federal Register. The rule is therefore months away from taking effect and some believe Congress may want to review it before it does.

USDA withdrew a similar rule last year after a 50-month old Canadian cow turned up positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). That caused concern because the animal had been born after Canada implemented a ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban. Top USDA officials have since expressed confidence in the effectiveness of Canada’s feed ban.

But R-CALF USA isn’t convinced. For over two years the fast-growing cattle producers' group has tried to keep USDA from easing its restrictions against Canadian cattle. And the legal fight continues, as R-CALF this week filed a brief to have their case moved back to the U.S. District Court of Montana from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Source: Brownfield AG News for America