CBC

Thu Mar 8, 7:39 am

Europe raises red flag over Canadian beef

Canadian farmers say the European Union is just playing trade politics when it raises concerns about the safety of beef hormones.

A report by inspectors who visited Canadian slaughterhouses and laboratories says the EU worries that hormones and antibiotics in Canadian beef may cause cancer in people who eat the meat.

The beef report comes at a time when the European Union is locked in a trade dispute with Canada on a variety of issues.

Canadian beef producers say the EU is simply trying to keep Canadian beef out of the European market.

"They (the EU) simply have taken a political stance on it," said Rob McNabb, assistant manager the Canadian Cattlemen's Association. "Nothing we do will satisfy them, short of eliminating their use."

Right now, the EU will only import Canadian beef if the government can ensure that it doesn't contain any growth hormones.

Some scientists in Europe claim hormone residues that turn up in the meat can cause cancer.

Health Canada has also raised concerns about some of the chemicals being given to cattle.

But the World Trade Organization has concluded that those fears are unfounded.

And Canada's beef farmers say they will continue to use the hormones because they are perfectly safe.

-- Rachel Gibson (rgibson@hotmail.com), March 08, 2001