Cliff Edwards, a Billings attorney, representing R-CALF, said that USDA could ask the Ninth Circuit for emergency relief, but doubted the appeals court would act without a full record of the hearing. "They have the power, but I don't expect them to act," Edwards said, referring to the Ninth Circuit judges.
I think this is the right decision but I will admit upfront that I have a vested interest in keeping the border closed. I have tried to weigh that against the public safety and I think the public safety is the reason I am standing the way I do on this issue. Not everybody sees it that way though.
Alberta rancher Gordon Fenton said he was not surprised by the decision, saying it just reconfirms the protectionist sentiments of the American farm group.
"It's another lovely day in the agriculture business," Fenton said sarcastically from the family ranch near Irma in west-central Alberta.
Paskal said he's frustrated with the influence that a small lobby group is having on a multi-billion dollar industry.
"We've got 12,000 protectionist-minded people that are now the watchdog of the scientific community in regards to animal health," he said. "It's real crap."
So I am one of the "12,000 protectionist-minded" whackos that are devestating the Canadian cattle industry. To tell you the truth I don't mean to hurt them, but I do have Americas interests to look out for and not Canada's.
I am not real sure what they can do but it also appears the Canadian Government is looking at a legal challenge to the ban. R-Calf has sure managed to ruffle a few feathers with this one. Stay tuned for more news.
Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. Ralph Waldo Emerson
BUT we all (US and Canadians) have a right to be sure that the food chain is safe.