SERBY LOBBYING AMERICANS TO OPEN BORDER TO CANADIAN CATTLE

Provincial Ministers of Agriculture are travelling to Washington D.C. this weekend to lobby their U.S. counterparts to open their border to Canadian cattle.

The Ministers will meet with U.S. Secretaries and Commissioners of Agriculture on Sunday, February 22nd at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Mid Year Legislative Conference.

"We intend to advocate a science-based approach to dealing with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)," Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization Minister Clay Serby said. "Science says there is no reason for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to keep the border closed to live Canadian cattle under 30 months of age."

Serby says the United States is well-positioned to shape world attitudes on BSE.

"The investigation into the BSE case in Washington State told us that this is a North American problem," Serby added. "We need to work together, preferably with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) countries, to jointly adopt science-based import and export policies that meet international standards."

The Canadian delegation will promote this approach to American National and State agriculture officials.

The group is scheduled to meet with Dr. Charles Lambert, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, on Monday, February 23rd.

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For More Information, Contact:

Scott Brown Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization Regina Phone: (306)787-4031