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August
27, 2003
Re:
United States – Canada border closure for Sheep and Lambs
To
our partners in the American Sheep Industry:
On May 20th
of this year a single case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) was
discovered in a cow in Alberta, Canada.The United States immediately closed
its border to the import of all ruminant and ruminant by products. This
border closure is having a devastating effect on the Canadian Sheep and
Lamb industry.
In 2002 Canada shipped approximately 120,000 live lambs to the US for
slaughter 1. While this represents only 3% of the US slaughter lamb market
2 it makes up 17% of the market for Canadian producers 3.With no live
animal trade to the US the Western Canadian feedlots are not filling their
lots; leaving producers with limited markets for the fall run of lambs.
The Canadian lamb prices have fallen by 40 to 60% since the border closed.
The American Sheep Industry Association is supporting the reopening of
the border to Canadian Lambs.The Canadian Sheep Federation is asking for
your help in our lobbying efforts to have the US – Canadian trade
in lambs return to normal immediately.
The reopening of the border will be of benefit to American as well as
Canadian producers. American producers will want to actively lobby for
the reopening of the border as a demonstration that although BSE in cattle
can be a human health concern there is no scientific evidence or research
that suggests that sheep are susceptible to, or can carry, BSE. By highlighting
that Canadian lamb is safe to consume the American lamb producers will
be distancing themselves from the health concerns if a case of BSE is
ever discovered in the US.
Support for the opening of the border must come from Americans. Any influence
you can apply to your Federal or State officials would be greatly appreciated.
If you would like more information on this issue or can put us in touch
with policy makers please contact us at 1-888-684-7739 or by email at
cansheep@magma.ca.
Thank you for your attention to this very important issue.
Randy Eros
Chairman
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