(AU + KR) Cattle killed in live trade protest

[Guest guest]

Forwarded with permission from " Carole de Fraga " <Animalia

The following message may be of interest.

 

Developments have taken place in the meantime, with cattle in a Korean

quarantine station having been moved - safely - to farms, and half the

number of cattle that were waiting on a ship to be placed in quarantine

having been - safely - unloaded. The remaining half-shipment is

voyaging to a second quarantine station in South Korea.

By DAVID McKENZIE (The Weekly Times, Australian National)

09may01

 

AUSTRALIAN cattle have been beaten to death by South Korean farmers in a

violent protest against the first imports of live animals into that country.

 

Up to six cattle are believed to have died after several trucks carrying 120

Australian cattle to a Korean feedlot were set upon by about 400 farmers

last weekend.

 

Two of the truck drivers were also hospitalised in the fracas.

 

The attack by the Koreans highlights the emotional resistance that can be

expected as long-standing world farm trade barriers come down.

 

Korea agreed to start freeing up its farm trade barriers early this year as

part of World Trade Organisation negotiations.

 

The development comes as trade tensions between Australia and US farm groups

are also emerging.

 

Australia has demanded the US immediately remove tariffs on lamb imports,

while the US has signalled an attack on Australia's quarantine policies.

 

A WTO appeals panel ruling last week confirmed that the three-year tariffs

of up to 40 per cent on above-quota lamb imports were illegal.

 

The Howard Government and farm groups called on the US to immediately scrap

the tariffs to prove its commitment to free trade.

 

Federal Trade Minister Mark Vaile said the US should remove them " as quickly

as possible " -- or face retaliation.

 

" If the Americans don't remove these measures, we can seek compensation or

retaliatory measures, " Mr Vaile said.

 

But the US has until next month to develop its response, and then a

" reasonable " time period - probably up to five months - to implement it.

 

" If they can't resolve this quickly, I can't see how Australia could

possibly sit down and negotiate a free trade agreement, " National Farmers

Federation president Ian Donges said.

 

" President Bush and his lackeys have to deliver on their free trade rhetoric

because Australian farmers are fed up with being unfairly treated.

 

" This is an easy hurdle compared with the likely attitude of the US towards

reducing protection for their dairy, sugar and rice industries, " Mr Donges

said.

 

He defended Australia's conservative quarantine policies, labelling the US

criticisms of Australia's strict quarantine standards as a " smokescreen " .

 

" They're running out of excuses to avoid doing something about their own

farm trade barriers, " he said.

 

But the US is also likely to play hard ball in any free trade negotiations,

with US Trade Representative Bob Zoellick last week expressing " serious

concerns " about Australia's quarantine risk assessment processes.

 

" The process remains non-transparent and fraught with delays, " he said in a

report on US trade priorities for 2001.

 

The report cites long-standing problems in getting US access into Australia

for California table grapes, Florida citrus, pork, poultry, stone fruit and

apples.

 

This view was backed strongly by the country's top farm group, the American

Farm Bureau, which called for these quarantine barriers to be relaxed before

the US enters negotiations on a free trade agreement with Australia.

 

In response to the Korean crisis, Australia has made strong representations

to the Korean Government to restore order and guarantee safe passage for

live cattle imports.

 

The cattle involved are part of a 663-head shipment which arrived at two

Korean quarantine stations late last month.

 

" This trade is legal under world trade rules and the Korean authorities must

take appropriate action to protect it, " said Mike Hayward, Meat and

Livestock Australia's general manager of overseas operations.

 

Mr Hayward said the industry would take steps to convince Korean farmers

that Australia was not trying to undermine them, but wanted to work together

co-operatively.

 

Australian authorities are also concerned that Korean inspectors reported

eight cases of blue tongue among the shipment.

 

All cattle were from a blue tongue-free area in northern NSW and had tested

free of the disease before leaving Australia.

 

" We are working with the Koreans to try and sort out the discrepancies

between the test results, " a spokesman for the Australian Quarantine and

Inspection Service.