BEEF NEWS
NCBA balks at Canadian cattle over 30 months
 
by Pete Hisey on 11/22/2005 for Meatingplace.com
 

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association, irritated by slow rule-making in Canada that has blocked 
U.S. breeding cattle from heading north, has said it will not support a USDA rule, to be issued in 2006, 
that would allow the import from Canada of live cattle over 30 months of age. 
 
"NCBA's commitment to free trade is well documented, and we speak with great credibility on this 
issue," said Terry Stokes, NCBA chief executive. "Normalization of trade is our goal, but normalization 
is a two-way street." 
 
Stokes and NCBA's animal health expert Dr. Gary Weber met with Canadian Food Inspection Agency 
personnel, as well as representatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service and the Canadian Cattlemen's Association late last week to discuss access to the 
Canadian market of U.S. feeder and breeding cattle. The feeder cattle issues seem to be moving 
toward resolution, Stokes said, but restrictions on breeding stock, especially related to bluetongue and 
anaplasmosis, remain burdensome. 
 
"Earlier this year, NCBA was instrumental in convincing USDA to limit both live cattle and boxed beef 
imports from Canada to 30 months of age or younger," Stokes said. "Our producer-members adopted 
this policy based on sound science and in the interest of free trade."