Stop Potential BSE (Mad Cow) Beef Imports to Australia

[Hillbilly F Truck]

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/...f-imports.html

On 20 October 2009, the Australian Government announced a change in Australia’s BSE (Mad Cow) food safety policy for imported beef and beef products. This means from the 1st March 2010 beef imports will be allowed from countries affected by mad cow disease which clearly pose potential health risks.

[sgt_doofey]

Why would we import beef when we produce a vastly superior product right here at home?

[My poor XF]

Thanks Hillbilly, I was going to create a thread about this when I got home. I'm sure Adelaide listeners to 5aa will be across this next big threat to Australia.

What we have is a federal government removing restrictions on the importation of beef from countries that have had mad cow disease. This decision if allowed removes australia's clean green image and puts our entire beef industry at risk.

This decision is based on lobbying from multi national corporations and a desire to allow unimpeded trade. No risk assessment had been performed on the effects of allowing possibly infected meat into this country!!

I implore everyone to write to your federal member and voice your dissaproval.

[Hillbilly F Truck]

Originally Posted by My poor XF

I implore everyone to write to your federal member and voice your dissaproval.

...and sign the petition on the above link. We only have until Sunday 28th to act.

[dave351cid]

i heard on the radio about this last week . appearently it was another wonderful deal that was signed and sealed by the "fabulous" howard government as they were being thrown out the door.

[Hillbilly F Truck]

Originally Posted by sgt_doofey

Why would we import beef when we produce a vastly superior product right here at home?

Exactly. Apparently we export 65% of our beef, so we don't need to import inferior, possibly diseased meat from overseas.

Not to mention what it will do to the Australian beef industry. What country would buy the 65% of exports then? We all saw what the equine flu did to the horse racing industry!!

[My poor XF]

We are also unlikely to have the quarantine measures in place to detect a diseased carcass ( japan checks every single carcass), all this on top of our inadequate labling laws which means your next meat pie could say made in australia, yet contains contaminated meat from Canada or the us.

[Hillbilly F Truck]

Originally Posted by My poor XF

We are also unlikely to have the quarantine measures in place to detect a diseased carcass ( japan checks every single carcass), all this on top of our inadequate labling laws which means your next meat pie could say made in australia, yet contains contaminated meat from Canada or the us.

http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf...IL-5HE7Y7?open

Does it affect humans? There is strong evidence that BSE can cause the human condition known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), which is a fatal brain disease. The evidence suggests that vCJD is caused by people eating BSE-infected beef or beef product. Milk and milk products are not thought to be carriers of the BSE agent. It is thought that vCJD is not spread from person to person. From 1995 through to December 2008, a total of 166 human cases of vCJD were reported in the United Kingdom, of which 163 have died. 43 cases have been confirmed outside the UK. One of the major concerns about vCJD is the long incubation period. Current thinking is that it may be 20 years or even longer. Currently, there is no cure for vCJD.

BSE is a significant threat to human health. There is very strong evidence that consumption of meat or meat product from a BSE infected animal can cause a similar disease in humans, known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease or vCJD. There is currently no cure for vCJD and it is a fatal disease. Because of this significant threat to human health, an outbreak of BSE in Australia could seriously affect both our export and domestic markets for beef and beef products. In turn, this could have a major effect on jobs and businesses in the beef industry and its various support industries. It could also have a significant effect on our tourism and hospitality industries. Unlike Foot and Mouth Disease, which spreads very quickly if not controlled, BSE spreads relatively slowly. The problem, however, is that both BSE and its human equivalent, vCJD, have an extraordinarily long incubation period. This means that, for example, where a human is diagnosed with vCJD, he or she may have caught it from eating infected beef up to twenty years earlier. This makes tracing of the disease source much more difficult.

[My poor XF]

The incubation time for this disease is the really scary thing. By the time it manifests itself in humans the current government will be long gone. And our beef industry will be brought down to the same level as the rest of the world. Our clean image will be removed and so will our market advantage.

[Raptor]

This is crazy, but seriously why does anyone buy imported food.

Why is there any demand for this?

[ebxr8240]

To think I cannot donate blood for I was in U.K at the time of the scare..

Yet they intend to bring this stuff in ???

Why is lately it seems farmers and anything to do with auto industry [racing, drags etc] seems to be undesirable...
We are importing way too much food now !!!

[My poor XF]

Originally Posted by Raptor

This is crazy, but seriously why does anyone buy imported food.

Why is there any demand for this?

The demand is from the mulitnational companies, woolies etc. They are able to use our pathetic labeling laws to make the product look australian.

As long as 50% of the cost of getting the product to your plate is garnered in Australia then it can be called Australian. That cost could be in the packaging. You wouldn't even know it was imported meat.

[ebxr82nv]

unfortunatly the way our tax system seems to be structured is cheaper to import from the 3rd world than buy local. Look at the auto industry, how many jap brands now make their cars in thailand and taiwon because theres no import dutys relating to products from these countrys.

[Rodp]

Ridiculous... and it appears it's equally as ridiculous that the labeling of a beef product as Australian can be put on a product that wasn't reared in Australia.

Congratulations. You have successfully signed the petition:
Stop Potential BSE (Mad Cow) Beef Imports to Australia.

You are signer #860 [?]

[gtfpv]

australia do this kind of thing regularly . it aint right

[TUF_302]

How stupid, do they not care about this risks this meat poses to us? Idiots!! :

[My poor XF]

Originally Posted by TUF_302

How stupid, do they not care about this risks this meat poses to us? Idiots!! :

if you believe the minister responsible (Crean) then there is a negligble risk. Not worth worrying about! Never mind that there hasn't actually been a risk assesement. Good to see the senate may be forcing the government to at least have a risk assesment before approving this policy change. All other partys including the coalition are opposed to this change.

I think they care more about the economic benifits of increased trade than they do about your health. And care more about how they are viewed by the world than any impacts on our health and industry.

The point about being able to give blood is quite valid, this disease can remain dormant for decades and is almost impossible to screen. You could give infected blood and there is no way of knowing till it's too late. But that appears to be a risk the Feds are willing to take.

[fg_nitro]

Do they still feed animals over in europe and the US ground animal left overs. Watched an interesting doco regarding rendering plants, blood and bone and bone meal feed. Quite gross.

[Bundy]

Its more likely because its part of a deal to keep multi-national companies (and their governments) onside with the global free trade agreements. Same thing for the indo grown bananas, prawns, fish etc that "have" to be imported. Farms in indoenesa are owned by american interests, say no more. I dare say its the same sort of stuff for this and other imported items.

[paule11]

894 signed so far

[ebxr8240]

U.S owned ?? That'll be all our fast foods...
The burgers are better at ------ j---s....

[Kamshaaft]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

U.S owned ?? That'll be all our fast foods...
The burgers are better at ------ j---s....

Burger Jings?

[deanp100]

Speaking from experience in meat import matters, this sort of proposed import happens an awful lot. A country puts pressure on a govt asking for an import protocol to allow free trade for something they want to sell. Our risk assessment guys look at it and say" Yes you can bring it in providing you provide enough documentation. This documentation usually needs to be endorsed by the exporting country authorities. We may ask for the meat to be certified that there have been no cases of BSE in the UK for 10 years prior to export. No UK vet will certify to it, so it never happens. However we have done our part by offering an import protocol. The same thing happened a few years ago with Thailand chicken. AQIS asked that it was certified to be cooked until it was charcoal. Exporter said"We can't do that, it will be ruined. AQIS says" Sorry we tried to help you. When you can make it charcoal we will talk. Same thing for bananas etc. I wouldn't be worried about it. The risk assessment team are not idiots. I know some of them and they are good old school, very experienced vets.

[nstg8a]

lol, same sort of deal that australia refuses to allow imports of nz apples, because they are concerned of bringing in blight.
only problem is, its already here lol
the real reason is because the big apple growers here want to protect their market share, and continue to flog off sub standard fruit to unwitting consumers.

[ebxr8240]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

lol, same sort of deal that Australia refuses to allow imports of nz apples, because they are concerned of bringing in blight.
only problem is, its already here lol
the real reason is because the big apple growers here want to protect their market share, and continue to flog off sub standard fruit to unwitting consumers.

Not wrong I often wander why you can buy nice fruit either in the country or NZ etc.. YET never seem to buy nice apples etc from the local market..
Apples when in season seem to be from cold storage ??
The fresh food people especially...
The mark up on food items is amazing also.. Check the prices paid to farmers compared to retail...

[vik351]

Got my sig...

I cant believe how dumb kevin 747 is...and the rest of his mobb : : :

I, as a dumb arrsee plumber have to sign off in triplicate all my jobs...I am held responsible...

These clowns get paid to wreck our country...!!!

And are not held responsible...

vik... Just ask Peta...!!!

[scoupedy]

This already happens when we get beef from Brazil- Brazil is suppose to be free from MCD but they neibouring countries smuggle cattle over the borders, as there MCD status (they have it) means a reduced price compared to Brazil this has been going on for years.

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Not wrong I often wander why you can buy nice fruit either in the country or NZ etc.. YET never seem to buy nice apples etc from the local market..
Apples when in season seem to be from cold storage ??
The fresh food people especially...
The mark up on food items is amazing also.. Check the prices paid to farmers compared to retail...

fruit thats been stored in cold storage properly should have no taste difference, problem is the lag time between being picked and it going into cold storage, and rough handling from point a to b to c.

[GreenMachine]

Front page of Qld Country Life reports that the Cattle Council are backing the removal of the ban, as are Meat and Livestock Australia. Weird. As pointed out before - this was a Howard govt initiative, which seems like reason enough to can it.

[XD 351 Ute]

Signed as per request.

Ed