"Mad Cow Disease"

Essay by congee November 2005

download word file, 8 pages 3.0

Formulate solution to minimize future agricultural trade dispute and develop long term changes to the beef industry to avoid the spread of diseases.

Key Players

Canadian Government: Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Canadian International Trade Tribunal

Health Canada

Canadian Industry: Cattle farms across Canada

Trading firms

Livestock transporter

Food and Beverage industry

U.S. Government: International Trade Administration - U.S. Department of Commerce

United States Health Department

United States Department of Agriculture

U.S. Industry: Cattle farms across United States

Trading firms

Livestock transporter

Food and Beverage industry

Perspective

I will be assessing the issue of import ban on the Canadian beef cattle on behalf of the Canadian agriculture industry, proposing recommendation to what the industry can do to ease delay on export ban. I will also be making recommendations on changes that the beef industry should make to avoid a similar future dispute.

Background

Today's technological advancement has made the world a smaller place through the efficient exchange of material and information. As globalization progresses, the movement of people and free flow of goods and services has never been so unobstructed. Unfortunately, this is also true for the spread of diseases. In the past decade alone, tens of different newborn diseases have plagued us. From the recent SARS outbreak to the latest round of Canadian mad cow disease, they have all not only posed a threat to our health but to our economy as well.

To the Canadian cattle industry, the outbreak of mad cow disease is like the nightmare that came true. Mad-cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), was first recognized in the United Kingdom in 1986, and later spread to other parts of Europe. Between November 1986 and July 2001, more than 178,000 head of cattle in over...