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Playing the blame game woïr t nieip t>iSE situa'ioit "The business ffiat considers itself immune to the ncsity for adverisn ounr or later finds itseif imm~une t<> buiess! Deb rown Just as Canada's livestock sector was beginning to sec some light at the end of a very long, dificuit year. officiais from the United States Departmnent of Agriculture (USDA) revealed the discovery of a dairy cow with BSE in Washington State. That alone was bad enough, con- sidering the North American nature of our beef industry. Then word came from the USDA that the darry aimal in question is believed te, have corne fromn a northern Alberta herd. Dr. Brian Evans, chief veterinar- ian with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, fortunately ionst prepared to accept that assertion witbout a lot more evidence than a single ear tag. There are somne crit- iraI questions about the origin of the animal that need to, be answered, and we're told DNA tests should provide the answers. Canada's livestock sector has leamed a lot since the May 20 dis- covery of a beef cow with BSE in northern Alberta. Our scientifac approach and knowledge have hemn refined considerably. We know Canadians continue to, have faith in that science snd the safety of Canadian beef, based on increased consumrption and we know the rest of the world is coin- mng to the saine reafization. Faim organizations across OA Bonnet Commentary Canada have matured dramatacally in the ares of crisis management. We know that by working sogetber and in parmnership witb goveru- ment offtcials we can get the Iatest information into, the bands of con- sumers and provide thern witb assurances about the safety of Canadian food. Canada's livestock commodity organizations can be proud of tbe traceability features tbey have developed and implemented to help tbemn give assurance of food safety, not only to, Canadian con- sumers, but customers around tbe world. Being able to, trace animaIs and their food sources have becomne entical in tbe minda of today's sopbisticated consumers. Getting involved in a blame game scenario won't accomplish mucb for anyone in this current BSE situation, given our beef mar- ket bas developed into a Nortb American model. We need to con- centrate on verification of the iden- tity of tbe animal in question and examination of possible sources of feed contamination either in our country or in the U.S. Since 1997, it bas bemn illegal for ruminant livestock feed materials te, contaso elements of livestock remains. This becamne law when the BSE outbreak in the United Kingdom resulted in the finding that feedmng animal byproducts to other animaIs is a possible cause of BSE. Political leaders. having lived tbrougb one BSE situation, are urg- ing their cattle producers to stay cairn and wait for aIl the facts to, be revealed. Losses experienced with BSE so far tis year are approach- ing two billion dollars for Canadian livestock producers. Staymng calin now may not be that easy. We bave been able to get our provincial and federal govemn- ments lu provide fundmng to help producers and others associated with our livestock sector survive the crisis tbat developed fromin the May 2Oth discovery of BSE. Witb the knowledge we bave accumulated over tbe past seven montbs on BSE, and tbe advances we have accomplisbed in the inter- national marketplace, we're mov- mng close to a more scientifie risk- based approach to dealing witb BSE. Ron Bonnet is president of the Ontario Federarion of Agriculture. BUY or LEASE a vehicle at Parkway Auto Trade Bel ore January 31/2004 and * YOUR lAME wilI be entered into the "OAS FOR A YEAR"5 DRAW 'CALL DEALER FOR DETAILS V8, ps, pb, A/G, cargo mat, 14,000 km. Why buy new? ave Thuads! 4 d, auto, loaded, 4.91)krr 5155 t 4 rauo I 2MU JW - c, LUn 4 dr, auto, diamond black teathar, loade, 72,000km 1 uuuPM '221 9 1 SUEJF air lm rOUnC AM CT 0 eoe m aiU U cU u L*& M t, black Stack internar 4dr, auto. V6. btack-arey coth. toadadaonl yO3,00km RayalOu blulk la Sa, load,4 Reauoaat ra C hea sou a u ao. dertmsan ot, 8w. financmng O.A.C . taxes & adm. Iicensing included in monthly paymnents. See your dealer for financing details 16-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, January 20, 2004 -ARDB C*-Êý 2M 2dr, autc STEELES AVE.