ANIMALNET MARCH 28, 2000 -- II Korea pork, feed industries fearful of Japan, Taiwan ban British Prince, French chef push UK beef EU to propose compulsory Mad Cow Disease tests B.C.'s most common wildlife offences: are you breaking the law? Nonviolent Hunt Animal users' defence doesn't work Blair to brainstorm with British farmers Cloned bulls to become fathers Trade ban threatened over raw Salmon imports: Australian unions angered 21st century genes Battling injuries to stay on the farm Feature-slow at the humps, watch out for Camels AnimalNet is produced by researchers at the Agri-Food Risk Management and Communication Project at the University of Guelph, is edited by Wendy Powell (wpowell@uoguelph.ca) and Douglas Powell (dpowell@uoguelph.ca), and is supported by the Ontario Cattlemen's Association, the U.S. National Pork Producers, U.S. National Food Processors Association, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Pfizer Animal Health Group, Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited (Canada), Canadian Animal Health Institute, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, Meat & Livestock Australia, Canadian Pork Council, Ontario Farm Animal Council, the U.S. National Cattlemens Beef Association, the Rutgers Food Risk Analysis Initiative, Ag-West Biotech, Capital Health, Animal Industry Foundation, American Feed Industry Assn., the Ontario Soybean Growers Marketing Board, Food Indsutry Environmental Network, Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors, Chicken Farmers of Canada, MDS Nordion, American Meat Institute, USDA Veterinary Services (Fort Collins) Alberta Farm Animal Council, and the Agricultural Adaptation Council (CanAdapt Program). archived at: http://www.plant.uoguelph.ca/riskcomm/archives/animalnet-archives.htm JAPAN SUSPENDS BEEF, PORK IMPORTS FROM SOUTH KOREA March 28, 2000 Reuters This story explained that South Korea's meat and feed sectors could be cut off from a major export market if Japan and Taiwan, which suspended imports of South Korean pork and beef on Tuesday, bans them outright. Industry sources were cited as saying that Korea could find itself cut off from its main pork export market and pork that otherwise would have been sent abroad could flood the domestic market, bringing down prices and harming an already fragile industry. Japan was cited as ordering the suspension after Seoul authorities reported discovering two cows infected with vesicular disease on Sunday. Korea's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry was cited as saying that some 105 head of cattle were destroyed to stop the outbreak spreading. The official was quoted as saying, "If the outbreak is food-and-mouth disease, we will have to ban imports of beef and pork from South Korea. If it is some other disease, we will lift the import suspension." Foot-and-mouth disease cannot be transmitted to humans but is a fatal, highly contagious illness affecting cattle and hogs. South Korea's state-run National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service was cited as saying that its probe to identify the disease would take up to a week. BRITISH PRINCE, FRENCH CHEF PUSH UK BEEF March 28, 2000 Reuters Lyndsay Griffiths LONDON -- This story explained that Britain's Prince Charles and one of France's top chefs joined forces on Tuesday in a culinary crusade aimed at putting British beef back on the world menu. The king in waiting -- a farmer in his spare time -- and Michelin-starred chef Raymond Blanc were cited as laiding out the red carpet for 21 top chefs, drawn from eight nations across Europe. The aim was, according to this story, to prove that British beef is safe and tastes good, despite a barrage of bad publicity following the scare over Mad Cow disease. This story explained that the fact that a Frenchman has been enlisted to the British cause is rich in irony given that his government refuses to lift its ban on British beef due to lingering health fears. EU TO PROPOSE COMPULSORY MAD COW DISEASE TESTS March 28, 2000 Reuters David Evans BRUSSELS -- EU officials were cited as saying on Tuesday that the European Commission is set to propose compulsory tests on cattle for mad cow disease in a bid to build a realistic picture of a disease many fear is under-reported. This story explained that the proposal, to be endorsed by a full Commission meeting on Wednesday, will force all European Union countries to undertake random tests, focusing on fallen stock -- those animals that die on the farm for no apparent reason. Beate Gminder, spokeswoman for EU Food Safety Commissioner David Byrne was quoted as telling Reuters, "We hope the programme will provide better information on the incidence of BSE in member states." France itself has, according to this story, come in for recent criticism over its own BSE incidence and health controls. Twelve cases have been reported so far this year and Paris has recently been cited as announcing its own national testing programme. An EU report last month was cited as saying that traces of meat and bone meal continued to be found in French animal feed despite a July 1996 ban on cows being fed animal proteins. This story further explained that under the EU proposal, member states will be able to choose one of three tests on the market -- one from France, one from Switzerland and another from Ireland. Fears that cases still go unreported, with potentially infected meat entering the food chain have, this story explained, been highlighted by research in Switzerland, where tests uncovered three BSE cases among 7,000 supposedly safe cattle heading for the slaughterhouse. B.C.'S MOST COMMON WILDLIFE OFFENCES: ARE YOU BREAKING THE LAW? March 28, 2000 The Kamloops Daily News Outdoors B1 / Front Robert Koopmans But conservation officers were cited as saying that as many as one person in three bends the rules at some point, likely with the knowledge they are breaking the law. This story explained that the most common wildlife offences are not serious offences such as shooting animals out of season or at night. Kamloops conservation officer Josh Lockwood was cited as saying that many people who bend the rules don't expect to be caught, believing there are too few COs out there to effectively police the woods. But, this story explained, with time, the odds are high most hunters and anglers will encounter an officer at some point in their travels. And when it comes to the Wildlife Act, there are no small offences. Here's a list of the most common wildlife offences in B.C.: Failure to produce licence or permit while hunting or angling; unlawful possession of dead wildlife; angling without a licence; hunting on agricultural land without permission; hunt or carry a firearm without a licence; hunting during a closed season; failure to immediately cancel species licence; violating gear and bait restrictions; failure to leave evidence of species and sex attached to fish and game animals; exceeding fish and game bag limits and party hunting. NONVIOLENT HUNT March 28, 2000 The Washington Post A22 Adrian Roberts, Bealeton, Va., writes in this letter to the editor: The author of "Fox Hunting (Round 2)" [letters, March 16] explained that chasing foxes with hounds is a benign activity that is good for the fox and good for the environment. He was cited as pointing out that foxes rarely are killed and then, only if they are old, sick or infirm. Roberts can add that the hounds are so well trained that even in the heat of the chase, they can detect whether a fox is pregnant, nursing or has a temporary illness or infirmity. In that event, they, according to this letter, refuse to continue and begin howling a special signal to the riders. Then, this letter explained, everyone goes home serene in the knowledge that they have upheld the nonviolent tradition of American fox hunting. The Virginia legislature has been cited as recognizing the many benefits of fox hunting, and in Virginia Code Section 18.2-136, dogs and riders are allowed to trespass on posted property without penalty. In November, Virginians will, this letter says, vote on a proposition to enshrine fox hunting in the state constitution. Will it be "Tally-ho" or "Tally-no"? ANIMAL USERS' DEFENCE DOESN'T WORK March 28, 2000 The Montreal Gazette Editorial / Op-ed B2 Lesli Bisgould, Toronto, writes in this letter to the editor: I did indeed say that ``I care about rats more than I care about children'' (Gazette, March 18). However, Bisgould did so not as a shocking way of kicking off an argument but rather as an illustration of the kind of misperceptions that hover around the term ``animal rights.'' This letter explained that animal-rights proponents do not arbitrarily prefer one group of beings to another; that's what they seek to stop. We all know, according to this letter, that non-human animals are different from human ones in some ways, and nobody is advocating their right to vote or get a good education. But at least since Darwin, we also know, according to this letter, that different species are not so distinct as was once convenient for us to believe. Indeed, in many important ways they are, this letter argues, not really different from us at all. If they were, there wouldn't be much point in using them in our experiments, would there? But if they are like us in relevant ways, how, this letter asks, do we justify our behaviour? It comes as no surprise, according to this letter, when animal users say they care about their animals and deny hurting them. What is, according to this letter, surprising is that the rest of us, knowing that they use these animals to earn and maximize their profits - half a billion individuals each year for Canada's food industry alone - simply take them at their word. If animal-using industries have nothing to hide, why, this letter asks, would any of them oppose relatively minor amendments proposed to the old and old-fashioned anti-cruelty provisions of our Criminal Code? BLAIR TO BRAINSTORM WITH BRITISH FARMERS March 28, 2000 Reuters Mike Peacock LONDON -- Prime Minister Tony Blair will, according to this story, meet farmers' leaders and food industry chiefs on Thursday to try to thrash out a strategy for Britain's battered agricultural sector. Officials close to Blair were cited as saying that he would largely focus on long-term plans but farming chiefs will arrive with a much more precise wishlist. The National Farmers' Union will ask, according to this story, for 200 million pounds in aid now, continued assistance for hill farmers, the removal of costs related to "mad cow" disease, less invasive regulation and support in labelling and marketing of British products. CLONED BULLS TO BECOME FATHERS March 25, 2000 The Kitchener-Waterloo Record A08 TOKYO -- Japanese researchers were cited as announcing on Friday that two cloned bulls are set to become fathers following a successful experiment in which their semen was used to artificially impregnate cows. This story explained that the experiment was conducted by Japan's Ministry of Agriculture in conjunction with researchers in Kagoshima Prefecture (state) to determine the ability of cloned animals to reproduce. Barring complications, the offspring of the cloned bulls will, this story says, be born in November or December. TRADE BAN THREATENED OVER RAW SALMON IMPORTS: AUSTRALIAN UNIONS ANGERED AFTER WTO FAVOURS CANADA March 27, 2000 National Post C9 Lindsey Arkley MELBOURNE -- Australian trade unions have been cited as warning that a dispute over proposed imports of raw Canadian salmon into Australia could provoke bans on millions of dollars worth of other Canadian exports. The warning is, according to this story, the latest development in a saga that began more than two decades ago, with Canada seeking to overturn an Australian import ban. This story explained that the unions are angry over a World Trade Organization ruling that Canada had been correct in arguing there was no scientific basis for the ban on raw salmon to be imposed on quarantine grounds. The Australian government was cited as announcing last week that it would not appeal the WTO ruling. But with union backing, the lifting of the import ban is, this story says, being strongly resisted by the island state of Tasmania, where the country's salmon-growing industry is based. Jim Bacon, the state's Premier, was cited as saying last week that the ban is protecting an industry worth $120-million a year from the risk of imported diseases, adding, "The WTO in Geneva is trying to force us to accept potentially diseased raw Canadian salmon, putting our whole industry at risk. We will not be bullied. Under no circumstances will I or my government be allowing any of our valuable agricultural industry to be put in jeopardy." However, under WTO rules, Canada now has, this story explained, the right to retaliate against Australian exports if the salmon import ban is not removed. A draft list of Australian products for possible retaliation, mostly agricultural goods, has already been prepared. Wayne Robson, the First Secretary at the Canadian High Commission in Canberra, was cited as saying that surtaxes of 100% above existing customs duties could be imposed on these Australian imports in Canada. The trade value of the Australian imports had been set at $45-million a year, Mr. Robson was cited as saying, although this figure would be subject to confirmation by a WTO arbitrator. 21ST CENTURY GENES March 28, 2000 The Washington Post A23 William A. Haseltine This story explained that the recent statement by President Clinton and British Prime Minister Tony Blair on genomic research and patents represents sound public policy on the emerging science of genomics and the new medical paradigm for the 21st century. Patents convey, this story explained, legal protection -- for a limited time -- of the commercial benefits associated with a discovery: for example, the specific composition and medical uses of human genes or proteins. A patent is, this story says, not a deed of ownership. This story further explained that a genetic patent seeker must meet these three tests: The discovery must be novel and if that sequence already is known, you can't meet the novelty requirement. You must discover and specify what the uses are -- e.g., whether the gene or protein is useful as a drug or as a target or as a diagnostic marker. Most important, according to this story, to society: Once published, a patent application and all of its information are, this story says, available to anyone for non-commercial use -- notably research -- long before the patent is issued. Thus, far from restricting the flow of scientific and technological knowledge, the patent process, this story explained, greatly stimulates it. That's why, this story says, societies that protect inventors with patents are the world's most advanced, scientifically and technologically. There is, according to this story, no basis for concern that a human being is or can be the subject of a patent. We are, this story says, not in the business of patenting humanity but rather of patenting genetic drugs to give human beings longer, fuller lives. Clinton's and Blair's did no more or less than urge everyone to publish raw genomic sequence information and (the implication was) to do so without patents. What they were not cited as saying was that this approach holds no danger for free enterprise or the patent system, and that it has in fact long been common practice. Raw genomic sequence is simply unpatentable. As Clinton and Blair also were cited as quoted as saying in their statement, "Intellectual property protection for gene-based inventions will also play an important role in stimulating the development of important new health care products." Neil Lane, the president's science adviser, was cited as saying that the statement should not be seen as signaling any change in patent policy. So, instead of the warning shot opening a government-aided push to overturn gene-based patents (as it was widely interpreted in the stock market), theirstatement, according to this story, amounted to a strong endorsement of them. For what all of us want, this story explained, is to speed the treatment and cure of disease. That is, this story says, precisely what gene patents do, by ensuring somebody who's willing to invest in the development of a gene-based drug or treatment, that he can have a return on that investment. Absent patents, these new drugs will, according to this story, not be developed. The writer is chairman and chief executive officer of Human Genome Sciences Inc., a Rockville-based biopharmaceutical company. BATTLING INJURIES TO STAY ON THE FARM March 28, 2000 The New York Times DIRK JOHNSON http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/national/iowa-farmers.html ACKLEY, Iowa --This story explained that Mr. Hoffmeister, a 50-year-old Iowa farmer, lost four fingers and the use of his left arm in a combine accident five years ago, the kind of dreadful injury that makes farming one of the nation's most dangerous professions. Mr. Hoffmeister, a lanky, soft-spoken man with a square jaw, as he looked down at the kitchen floor and shook his head, was quoted as saying, "To me, being a farmer always meant being independent, able to do whatever needs to be done. Now I can't even handle a shovel or a pitchfork." But while such a disability would once have driven a farmer out of business, Mr. Hoffmeister has, according to this story, been able to keep farming by modifying his machinery and buildings. This story explained that he is one of thousands of farmers in America with disabilities who have triumphed over physical adversities, an achievement made possible by technological advances and the changed nature of farming, which today relies more on brain power and computer skills than brute strength. This story further explained that with the help of Easter Seals, which runs a project intended to help disabled farmers stay on the land, Mr. Hoffmeister changed the ladders on his combine, put guard rails atop his grain bin and adapted to a special hammer with a magnetic plate that holds a nail. The charity also bought him a new computer. FEATURE-SLOW AT THE HUMPS, WATCH OUT FOR CAMELS March 28, 2000 Reuters Paul Majendie DUBAI -- This story explained that it is dangerous to hurtle along the highway in Dubai because camels have the right of way. Colliding with one of the lumbering ships of the desert can, according to this story, be lethal and expensive -- half a tonne of dromedary (one-humped camel) can write off both you and your car. And be warned -- if you end up killing or injuring the animal then the responsibility is, this story says, yours. 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