| Consumers require reassurances that the
food they purchase and consume are safe. With this program we can
show to them that we are proud of, and stand behind the health and
safety of our product - BEEF.
Recommendation came to the Canadian
Cattlemen's Association from Provincial Cattle Associations, asking to
reestablish a national identification program. The Canadian Cattle
Identification Agency (CCIA), was given the mandate to devise a program
with input from all the sections of the cattle industry.
National ID allows for rapid traceability
and quick containment of any health related problem or defect. It
does so by tracing an animal from two points -- the point at which the
problem is detected, and the herd of origin. This allows Animal
health authorities to conduct a more focused search. The program
is about traceability, not liability.
Currently over 50% of Canadian beef and
cattle production is exported, over $2 billion worth. Twenty-five
countries around the world are either developing or already have
identification trace back systems in place.
Just recently Denmark lost its ability to
export cattle and beef, because of the discovery of a domestically
raised cow with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE - "mad cow
disease"). Japan and Korea borders were closed to exports due
to suspected outbreaks of foot and mouth disease.
We must remember that as CATTLE
producers we are FOOD producers and we can no longer afford the
luxury of anonymity.
As cattlemen we must be competitive and
pursue everyone's goal to be #1 for beef quality and safety
worldwide. Support this program so that our industry may protect
itself, its markets, its consumers and the producers $ bottom line. |