Bosso, 8/19/05, p. 17
alleged that senior USDA officials the previous August had pressured in-house scientists
to approve a partial resumption of beef imports from Canada before they had completed
an internal assessment of the Canadian BSE regime. Secretary Veneman at that time said
she was lifting the ban following a “thorough scientific analysis” and that “our experts
have determined that the risk to public health is extremely low.”
39
USDA officials denied
the charges, but did admit that Veneman should have referred to the completion of a
Canadian study, on which the USDA relied because it included international experts and
was observed by American scientists in Canada. The USDA’s own study was not issued
until October, and was criticized by consumer groups as putting political considerations
above scientific evidence. Soon thereafter, to the disappointment of Canadian officials
and major beef industry interests alike, the Department announced an additional comment
period on opening the border to live cattle.
On April 19 the USDA announced without comment the lifting of all restrictions
on the importation of beef from cattle less than 30 months of age. Major U.S. and
Canadian beef processors with facilities in Canada applauded the decision because it
would greatly boost the volume of Canadian beef exports to the U.S. However, to the
annoyance of western Canadian cattle producers in particular, the Department continued
to maintain the ban on live cattle.
But even lifting the ban on dressed beef met with opposition. American cattle
ranchers were doing very well without competition from the north, and were not about to
lose what had become a rather profitable advantage. Four days after the USDA
announcement a group of Montana ranchers, operating under the Ranchers Cattlemen
Action Legal Fund (R-CALF), filed an injunction in U.S. district court in to block
Convention