The BSE crisis revealed our country's inability to meet its own demand for meat. When the U.S. closed its borders to Canadian beef, the Canadian beef industry entered a crisis situation. Why was it that closing the border had such an effect? Why was it that we still imported beef from the states? The answer is simple. We as a nation lacked and still lack the ability to process our own beef to meet demand. While Canada continues to produce more than enough cows to supply our need for beef, we did not have the slaughtering and processing capacity to prepare it for use.
You may ask "How do we remedy that?" Well, quite simply this incident demonstrates that we can't rely on private industry to keep the system going. What Canada needs is a Crown Corporation to manage the slaughtering of beef. Private feed lots and processing can still be allowed but this Corporation (lets call it for the puposes of discussion "Canada Meat") will pick up the slack. Canada Meat does not have to specialise in beef processing either, it can also process hogs, poultry, and other meats that our country produces. In doing so Canada will develop the self sufficiency it so desperately needs.
With the development of improved meat processing Canada can begin to trade with other world markets. Selling live animals in international trade is only viable when doing so with close neighbours. The United States is the only country close enough to do this with. If Canada is able to process and meet its own demand for meat then the surplus can be sold overseas. Canada will then be self sufficient and will be maximizing its trade options. Additionally this will create much needed jobs for rural Canadians.
We can get over BSE without the reopening of the border. We must improve our self sufficiency not only in beef but in other vital industries in order to prevent similar crises from occurring again. I ask you are we going to let our beef industry rot, or are we going to take action now?
Note: Canadian Rural party
Stumble It!
Would the Canadian Rural Party push for organic and free range farming of all meats? No more industrialized farming? The way animals are grown there's no wonder there's the possibility for pandemic diseases. Is your party pro small farming?
---
"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music." Friedrich Nietzsche
The mandatory testing of BSE (as well as other diseases) is an important issue. I would argue that it given that the cow is dead anyway and that we have the technology to preserve meat for long periods of time (freezers) that it would be a good idea. However, this can get very expensive. However with a crown-coorporation doing most of the slaughtering management and regulation become easier. More research is needed on BSE such as how does it develop/spread and is it really possible to go from animal to human by eating the meat. Before the party can take a stance on this I would say that more discussion is needed. There are many different points of view on this and they all must be heard.
Here's mine.
Don't eat meat.
Don't eat any sentient being.
Eat Organic Tofu!
Remember these
Cattle and Humans form a symbiotic relationship. If cows weren't tamable and didn't offer a use to humans (food in their case) the cattle and human population would be significantly less. If no one ate beef then all the cows would die because no one could afford to keep them fed over the winter. It is however true that industrialised farming is bad. It is cruel to the animals and creates and environment perfect for the spread of disease.
As for myself and everyone I know (who raises cattle) they live a happy cow life where they grow up with as much wilderness as they want with protection from predators. The calves do end up in the market (in the fall) but if they didn't then the other cows would be food less. I keep the females that have physical and behavioural traits that I like in a herd. I am going to have to get a new bull to prevent inbreeding. I don't want to sell him in auction because he is a good calm bull and has a pedigree. In a natural environment most calves die before they grow up while under human care unless they get very sick or have a genetic disorder most live.
I am not sure about pigs though
1. It is true that most are raised in cruel conditions
2. They are very smart so the sentience issue becomes significant
It is possible to raise a pig as a house pet so if no one ever ate pork there would still be pigs around (though the larger breeds would disappear as they can't be kept in a house).
I could add more but it is getting late.
The Canadian Rural Party merged with the Canadian Action Party, to become: Canadian Rural Action Party
C.R.A.P.