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USDA won't fight R-CALF
WASHINGTON (DTN)--The U.S. Department of Agriculture agreed May 5 not to fight a federal judge's restraining order that stopped its plan to resume imports of certain Canadian beef products. It also signed an agreement with cattle group R-CALF USA that says it will not try to import any additional beef products from Canada until the agency completes a larger rule that would also address the question of resuming the trade in live cattle from Canada.
Both USDA and R-CALF officials confirmed the agreement, but a USDA spokesman said the court had not yet signed off.
The United States stopped importing Canadian beef after the discovery of a case of mad cow disease in Canada last May, but has resumed imports of boneless boxed beef. A USDA panel decided last month to allow the imports of bone-in beef, ground meat, tongues, hearts, kidneys, tripe and lips, which are considered riskier products.
But R-CALF said the USDA had not followed proper rule-making procedures and on April 26, Federal District Judge Richard Cebull in Billings, Mont., granted R-CALF's request for a temporary restraining order to stop imports of the additional products. Cebull said the imports could pose a risk to U.S. consumers and USDA had not followed its own procedures.
R-CALF CEO Bill Bullard said in a news release USDA's decision showed they had a weak case.
"We think the government's decision not to fight an extension of the judge's order shows that USDA recognized it would have been hard to defend its position in court," he said.
Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle said in a news release that President George W. Bush told Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin April 30 he wants the border reopened to beef trade as soon as possible.
Daschle said ensuring public commentary on issues such as this is important.
"I am pleased the Bush Administration has now backed away from the President's earlier statement and will at last comply with the Administrative Procedure Act, which requires that public comments be considered prior to any decision being made," he said. "I was troubled the president would allow the U.S. to become a dumping ground for what scientists say could be questionable beef and cattle and concerned that treating mad cow disease too cavalierly in an effort to accommodate diplomatic relations is a bad trade-off."
Date: 5/20/04
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