Page 10 - MWC 3-9-2023s

The Midwest Cattleman · March 9, 2023 · P10
BRAZIL CONFIRMS TIMELY BSE REPORT IN BRAZIL? U.S. BEEF IMPORTS LEFT UNPHASED
continued from page 3 By Paige Carlson
A case of Atypical BSE, or Lane explains, Brazil’s re- it state by state. They’ve de-
dicates that it is the atypical mad cow disease, was con- porting of these cases has clared themselves FMD-free.
form of the disease, which firmed in the northern state been months or even years However, that’s not how that
appears spontaneously in na- of Para, Brazil recently. How- late. process works. I mean, there
ture, causing no risk of dis- ever, the real question is— Justin Tupper, president are governing bodies that de-
semination to the herd and when did this case actually of United States Cattlemen’s termine that international-
to humans," the agency said occur? Association, adds, “The atyp- ly, so it’s a fairly concerning
in a statement. In a recent AgriTalk con- ical BSE case follows the state of affairs when they
The sick animal was on versation, Ethan Lane, the finding of the disease in sev- self-declare and stop vacci-
a property with 160 head of National Cattleman’s Beef eral animal remains in 2021, nating,” Lane says.
cattle in the southeast of the Association vice president of which the country had ob- Continuing to press the
state. The site has been in- government affairs explains viously failed to report in a issue with Secretary Vilsack
spected and preventively in- how Brazil has never been timely manner.” and USDA, Lane explains
terdicted, the agency added. the timeliest country when it While China halted Bra- the uncertainty and concern
Samples were sent to the comes to reporting. zilian beef exports, as part of over Brazil’s reporting abili-
World Organization for An- “We understand that this an animal health pact previ- ty continues to make us be-
imal Health lab in Alberta, is an Atypical case. They've ously agreed between China lieve there needs to be a sus-
Canada, to confirm whether sent it to the World Organi- and Brazil, the U.S. is still el- pension of beef imports from
it was the classic form of the zation for Animal Health for igible to receive exports from Brazil into the U.S. until they
disease or its "atypical" ver- confirmation. What we don't the country. can prove they have that cen-
sion. know yet is the timeline,” Under the current trade tral competent authority and
In 2021, two cases of the Lane says. “That has been structure, Brazil is part of an ability to play by the same
disease triggered a suspen- the real problem with Bra- 18-country trade group, con- rules as the rest of world. “It’s
sion in beef exports to China zil and these Atypical BSE tributing to a 65,000 metric something we can’t afford to
that lasted more than three cases. You know, the rest of ton quota of beef to be im- let slip,” Lane says.
months. the world reports these with- ported to the U.S. Tupper adds, “We acknowl-
in 24 hours. Atypical cases “Brazil has gotten real- edge that Atypical BSE aris-
Reuters are not the same as classical, ly good in the last couple of es spontaneously in certain
they don't present a threat years of maxing out that cattle, especially amongst
to the herd and they're spon- quota and basically taking individual animals that are
taneously oc- market share away from oth- 8 years of age or older. How-
curring but re- ers like the Japanese and the ever, USCA supports the full
porting them in British. That's a real source and immediate suspension of
a timely way is of contention amongst other Brazilian beef imports, not
how we make trading partners,” Lane adds. just because of this incident,
sure the system Additionally, Brazil’s beef but because there are enough
is working prop- exports to the U.S. must be other reasons to do so."
erly. For the last shipped from Santa Catari- Whether it’s BSE or FMD,
10 years, Brazil na, a foot-and-mouth disease Lane believes it’s important
has never re- (FMD) free state. However, that trading countries play
ported one of Lane explains there’s still a by the same stringent rules
these in a time- lot of risk. that we abide by here in the
ly manner.” “They stopped vaccinat- U.S.
ing for FMD. They’ve done

U.S. BEEF CATTLE have otherwise preferred. “To the extent that we’ve feed as of Jan. 1 fell 4% from
continued from page 3 Elevated beef cull prices con- got historically low cattle 2022 numbers, to about 14.2
tributed to an 11% increase stocks today, that will lead million, marking the first
question of how much small- in beef cow slaughter, accord- to tighter cattle production, year-over-year decline in beef
er.” ing to USDA. which means potentially production in eight years,
Challenges As Mitchell recently point- higher beef prices,” Mitchell Burdine and Mitchell wrote.
For many producers ed out, however, the reduced said. “From the perspective University of Arkansas
throughout the country, 2022 supply combined with steady of cattle producers, this also System Division of
had offered a perfect storm demand from the U.S. con- means higher prices. The re- Agriculture
sumer at least meant great- cent report from USDA just
of economic and weather-re-
lated challenges: input costs er profitability for those pro- reinforces a bullish outlook
on cattle prices for
such as diesel and fertiliz- ducers with stock to sell.
er doubling or even tripling, Biological lag the next couple of
and a hot, dry summer that “There is a pretty substan- years.”
only increased reliance on tial biological lag in the beef The downward
groundwater in the absence supply chain,” he said. “What trend in cattle
of rainfall. For cattle pro- consumers experience at the production does
ducers in particular, drought grocery store is a product of not appear likely
conditions offered no replen- what cattle producers were to reverse itself in
ishment of dwindling forage going through a year or two 2023. According
supplies, leaving many pro- ago. It takes about two years to USDA’s cattle-
ducers to cull deeper into for a new calf to become the on-feed data, the
their herds than they might steak on your dinner plate. number of cows on