 |
 |
Canadian and American Sheep Industries Meet Again
October
29, 2003
[October
28th, 2003, Ottawa] Randy Eros, Chair of the Canadian Sheep Federation
(CSF) attended a successful meeting of the American Sheep Industry Association’s
(ASI) executive committee held in Denver Colorado this past weekend. The
meeting follows a recent trip to Washington where the two national groups
first met to discuss the effects of the US border closure on the sheep
industry.
Upon returning from Denver, Eros reported that the ASI has recommended
that the import of live lambs for slaughter and into restricted feedlots
be included in the new US import regulations. "All indications are
that these regulations will be published before the end of the year with
lambs starting to move during the first quarter of 2004 " said Eros.
Working through the issues of the border closure has led the two organizations
to develop a closer relationship. Commenting on some of the similar national
programs, Eros reported, "We provided the ASI with an update on the
Canadian Sheep Identification Program and brief overviews of our Food
- Safe Farm Practices Program and scrapie initiatives. The ASI is starting
to deal with the development of their national identification program
and were quite interested in the Canadian approach. As well, we found
our on-farm food safety programs to be very similar and at about the same
stage of development". Eros also stated that developing national
scrapie control programs that meet current national standards and are
recognized by both nations was identified as a top priority.
The two national sheep groups plan on continuing to foster their new relationship
to strengthen the North American sheep industry. The Canadian Sheep Federation
has extended an invitation to the ASI to attend its upcoming Annual General
Meeting at the end of November.
The Canadian Sheep Federation is a national, non-profit organization that
represents all Canadian sheep producers. Its mission is to further the
viability, expansion and prosperity of the Canadian sheep and wool industry.
For more information on the Canadian Sheep Identification Program, please
contact the Canadian Sheep Federation at:
(613) 248-8084
1-888-684-7739
|
|
 |
 |
