Get Real

<a href="http://www.billingsgazette.com//index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/12/12/build/state/25-mt-japan-beef.inc">Cattle industry pleased with Japan's decision on U.S. beef</a><br />n<br />nI agree, it's nice. Now comes the bigger task of winning back consumer confidence in Japan for US beef. This is going to need to happen since only about 20% of Japanese consumers trust US beef. Give it time and we will be okay is my opinion. I had to laugh at this one though.<br />n<br />n<blockquote>But the government's plan to also lift its ban on beef from Japan – a country that's reported 21 cases of mad cow disease, compared to the United States' two – was viewed more cautiously and even skeptically, by some.<br />n<br />nBill Bullard, chief executive of the ranchers' group R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America, called the announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture premature, given that a number of foreign markets remain closed to U.S. beef. </blockquote><br />n<br />nI support R-Calf, but this is pretty bone headed. Because other countries still ban US beef we should not allow Japan beef into our country. Doesn't make much sense, particularly since Japan sends such a little amount of beef to the US that its insignificant. Using the 21 cases of <acronym title="Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy">BSE</acronym> as an excuse isn't a real brilliant idea either. Japan tests all cattle it slaughters for <acronym title="Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy">BSE</acronym>, not just some like in the US.<br />n<br />nR-Calf needs to get real here and worry about re-establishing our market in Japan, not beat its head against the wall on Japan imports, it's not that important.<br />n<br />n<b>Principles have no real force except when one is well-fed. Mark Twain</b>