September 28, 2004

LIBERALS FINALLY AWARE OF THE BSE CRISIS

It appears someone in the Liberal camp has woken up. For months, Canadian cattle producers have been pleading for some assistance and for a plan so that the industry can make it to tomorrow. For months, political analysts have stated that the possibility of the United States border re-opening to live Canadian cattle was very remote due to the November U.S. Presidential election. For months, there has been speculation that a Democratic win in the States could mean an indefinite border closure. For months, the Canadian Liberal government has relied on the hope that the Americans would have a sudden change of heart and put things back to the way they were before that lone discovery of BSE in May 2003. It has taken 16 months, but we have finally seen a step forward:

“In my view it would be inappropriate to say (to beef farmers) that you have to get up every morning and understand that no matter how hard you work, your ability to be successful depends on what somebody does in another country,” said Andy Mitchell, federal Minister of Agriculture, following the September 21-22 meeting of Canadian agriculture ministers.

Of course, that “somebody in another country” is the politicians in the United States. Since May 2003, the Liberals have shrugged their shoulders saying there was nothing they could do but wait for the Americans to make a move. What that negligence has done is place the entire Canadian cattle industry at risk and, at the same time, it has forced many producers to sell or even destroy their herds. Many farm families have had to sell their homes and their operations because they can’t afford to keep going. I have heard from people who have had to pull their children out of activities such as hockey because there is no extra money for fees or travel expenses. Every penny on today’s farms is going to keep that family and that farm operation alive.

While the Liberals have finally put some money on the table, it is still far from the hands it needs to be in. The aid package relies heavily on CAIS, a program that has failed so many farmers already. Some farmers have paid $500 in accounting fees only to find out that they don’t qualify for the program.  Others are unable to afford the required deposit to open a CAIS account.  And still others have had to wait 80 to 90 days to find out if they even qualify.

In announcing the BSE aid package, the Liberal government mentioned a need to increase slaughter capacity, but their proposed funding for that avenue is horribly inadequate. There cannot be enough emphasis placed on the need to increase slaughter capacity within Canada. At the same time, we still need to look at marketing our beef in foreign markets other than the United States. Australia markets its beef to more than 100 countries. Canada should be doing this as well.

Back in February, the Conservative Party put forward a plan to help the cattle industry, but the Liberals chose to ignore it and instead assured producers that the border would re-open by late August. Here we are entering October – the border remains closed and the Liberals have now announced largely the same programs we proposed last spring.

Just because the Liberals have come up with some money to help our producers, does not mean that their job is done. This is a government that has watched our cattle industry suffer for 16 months and is only now taking steps toward alleviating the problem. Sadly, these measures have come too late for many former beef producers who could wait no longer.