Moldy Peaches

Canadian beef may finally be able to travel south although I sure they will need new papers. The United States is a funny country, they will take Celine Dion without question, but restrict access to our beef?

Canadian officials anticipate that trucks will roll next week to take cows south for he first time since in over 2 years - May, 2003.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Michael Johanns took immediate steps to reopen the border to Canadian cattle late Thursday after a federal appeals court dismissed arguments that imports could spread mad cow disease. American officials have already been in contact with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to prepare certifying cattle for shipment, said Mr. Johanns.

The unanimous decision by a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was released Thursday after a one-day hearing in Seattle, where an American ranchers' group argued Canadian cows are unsafe. The appeals court overturned a March ruling by Montana judge Richard Cebull, who sided with the protectionist group R-CALF and temporarily blocked the border from reopening as expected.

This battle is far from over. R-CALF and other protectionists which pretty much includes all Democratic Senators and all the Congress from either the Rocky Mountain or Great Plains region regardless of political affiliation, will be back fighting this soon. The case is likely to head back to court, at least twice.

In fact, Judge Cebull is holding his own hearing July 27 in his Billings basement where R-CALF will argue vigorously for a permanent ban on Canadian cattle and beef products. They will be using sound science like we are betterer than them and Canadian beef can't be safe since they live in frozen igloos. Also, there is absolutely no truth the rumour that R-CALF will be represented by Dan Fielding.