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Maintain the U.S. ban on Canadian beef until consumers are better protected

Last January, Canadian officials reported a new case of mad cow disease, the third confirmed case in Canada’s beef supply and the first involving a cow born after the feed ban went into effect. The feed ban barred the use of animal proteins in cow feed that scientists believe are responsible for the transmission of mad cow disease.

Despite the risks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) decided to re-open the U.S. border to live Canadian cattle in early March. Luckily, a court case temporarily derailed the USDA's plan. Then on March 3rd, the U.S. Senate narrowly voted to keep the U.S. border closed to Canadian beef. Now a similar bill is pending in the U.S. House of Representatives.

With recent events continuing to cast doubt on the safety of Canada’s beef supply, we strongly believe the U.S. should maintain the import ban. If people eat an animal infected with mad cow disease, they are at risk of contracting the lethal brain-wasting disorder, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

In order to safeguard the public’s health, we believe the U.S. should continue to prohibit Canadian beef imports until there are significant improvements in mad cow prevention programs on both sides of the border.

Urge your Representative in Congress to support House Joint Resolution 23!
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Dear [Your Representative],


I'm writing to express my concern over recent confirmed mad cow cases in North America and the government's apparent inability to guarantee the safety of our beef. To protect the public, I urge you to support House Joint Resolution 23 to keep the Canadian border closed at this time.


Two new confirmed but unrelated cases in Canada over a two-week span in January raise an urgent red flag regarding the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plan to reopen the border to beef trade with Canada.


These latest cases highlight that dangerous loopholes in both countries' laws still exist. In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) still allows cattle remains to be fed to other animals, such as pigs and chickens; and these remains can be fed back to cows. This practice is dangerous and could spread disease. Under current FDA rules, even the remains of an animal known to be infected with mad cow disease could go into rendered feed.


I am also extremely concerned that in both the U.S. and Canada the feed bans are inadequate and not well enforced. Moreover, only a small percentage of all cows are tested in either country--the US currently tests less than one percent of the 35 million cattle slaughtered every year.


Until we have adequate mad cow prevention programs, the Canadian border should remain closed. Therefore, I urge you to vote in favor of House Joint Resolution 23.


Sincerely,
[Your Name]
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