Hugh MartinFor the greater part of 2004, Jamaican beef farmers have been silent.
It is not so much that they've had nothing to beef about but mostly because they were kept busy trying to ensure that their herds were properly fed and watered, kept in good health and protected from the praedial thief.
They were, in fact, once again gainfully employed as they were now receiving orders from the butchers and being paid a reasonable price for their animals.
Prior to that, for about a decade, the demand for beef had fallen to such a low that the loss of a few animals to thieves was more relief than outrage.
When the Government imposed a ban on imported beef from the United States in January this year, after one case of mad cow disease was found there, the ensuing shortage opened the door to the local producers and they have been kept busy trying to meet some of the demand. It took some time before alternative sources in Australia and Latin America arrived to help satisfy overall demand.
INCREASING IMPORTS
Local production even at the best of times cannot supply the choice cuts required by the hotels and upscale restaurants.
The records show that our highest production in the past decade or so was 15 million kgs in 1992. This has steadily declined to 11.4 million kgs in 2003.
At the same time, imports have been increasing by some 60,000 kgs annually from 283,000 kgs in 2000.
Two weeks ago, the Minister of Agriculture, Roger Clarke, announced the lifting of the ban on imports of beef from the U.S. This was being done, he said, only after he had got the assurance from the veterinary division that they were convinced that it was safe to do so.
But a week ago a local newspaper carried an item that there was another suspected case of the rare disease in the US.
Wednesday's Gleaner updated the story but did not yet have the final results of conclusive tests being done. These have since been released and it is not mad cow disease. There need not be, therefore, any concern about the wholesomeness of beef from that source.
In any case Dr. Headley Edwards, director of veterinary services, has pointed out that only risk-free portions of the carcass are allowed in and none of the 'risk material' (what is commonly called locally the 'fifth quarter').
In addition, mad cow is known to be an old cow disease. In other words, it is only manifested in older animals which are not slaughtered for export.
The question that arises now though is what is likely to be the effect of the resumption of imports on the local beef industry?
There is no denying that the ban provided a nice break for local producers even though they understood it was a temporary situation.
But it did encourage many of them to improve their pastures and to resume the upgrading of their herds.
Less than a year has elapsed so we wouldn't expect to see any increased production for another 12 to 18 months. Farmers though cannot help being optimists so the bulls and the inseminators would have been busy.
There are two developments that should give them some encouragement. The first is that the increase in demand for beef had started just before the ban on imports from the U.S. was imposed due to an expanding patty industry which no longer relies on imported offal as well as to a gradual drifting away by many from a 'no red meat' diet.
EXPORT ANIMALS
The second is the interest of several cattle-producing countries in our four breeds of cattle.
Just a little over a year ago, cattlemen from Australia and New Zealand visited Jamaica to look at these breeds and were particularly interested in the Jamaica Red Poll to use in upgrading their herds.
Their efforts to import the animals (or frozen semen or embryos) have so far been thwarted because they have to travel via the U.S. which has not yet agreed to allow them through.
When this eventually takes place it will be a major breakthrough for our cattle industry and, with it, international recognition of the high quality of our home-grown creations.
The Jamaican cattle farmers will then begin to reap the rewards of their persistence.
Hugh Martin is a
communication specialist and farm broadcaster who
may be reached at
humar@cwjamaica.com
