BEEF – 07’ 57”

00:02 (38: 02) Gauchos round up a herd of cows in central Argentina.

00:08 (38.08) It is market time, and most of these animals are soon to be sold off to abattoirs.

00:14 (38.14) For now they are transferred to a fresh field on 'La Luz' farm, an hour's drive from Mar de Plata, the country's second largest city.

00:24 (38.24) 'La Luz' is spread over 1800 hectares, one of hundreds of farms in the area. The pampas in this region stretch as far as the eye can see.

0:37 (38:37) With over 1-thousand head of cattle at any one time, La Luz is a family run operation in a country recognized as one of the world's largest beef producers. Rancher Renato Briano oversees the farm with his son Rafael, but the day-to-day running is soon to be taken over by his daughter Renata.

01:00 (39.00) The family make weekly visits to La Luz from the city. The breeding cycle here is continuous. The Briano's, like most Argentines, pride themselves on the quality of their meat. They say they produce the best beef in the world.

1:17 (39:17) SOT RENATO BRIANO, CATTLE FARMER

"I think it is down to the natural development, and the walking. The animals are not stationary, standing still and accumulating cholesterol like they do in a feedlot. The animals are walking, looking for water, looking for grass, walking the full length and breadth of their fields because they are very curious animals."

01:37 (39:37) But these days it is not the quality of meat that dominates family discussions. It is the world's BSE crisis - mad cow's disease.

01:45 (39:45) SOT RENATO BRIANO, CATTLE FARMER

"There is no doubt that the Europeans produce great beef. It is a terrible shame what is happening. I feel very emotional about what is happening to their industry. Not because the difficulties of the Europeans could be to my advantage as an Argentine producer. No. I am also suffering because the same thing could also happen to us."

02:07 (40:07) Argentines are passionate about beef. Every Sunday hundreds attend a mini-Gaucho festival outside Buenos Aires' oldest abattoir, El Matadero.

02:19 (40:19) The day is a celebration of the Gaucho way of life as much as a chance to enjoy a giant street barbecue. Here, cooking meat is an art form.

02:32 (40:32) The traditional life of the Gaucho cowboy is still very much alive in Argentina. It's a life that revolves around the pampas. Many see them as the key to Argentine beef's distinctive taste.

02:45 (40:45) The highlight for many visitors to the festival is watching the traditional 'carrear de la sortija' (Race of the Ring) where a rider must insert a sharp point through a small circular ring from the back of a galloping horse.

02:56 (40:56) [UPSOUND: Galloping horse and clink of ring being struck]

03:00 (41:00) If the ring is removed successfully the rider lifts his arm in a heroic feat of horsemanship.

03:08 (41:08) Dressed in their traditional ponchos and cowboy hats, couples dance throughout the afternoon. Were so-called 'Mad Cows' disease to infect Argentina's beef industry, the livelihood of thousands of Gauchos like these could be at risk.

03:28 (41:28) Next door at Liniers Market it is business as usual. It is the largest of its type in the country, and animals are brought here from throughout Argentina.

03:41 (41:41) Bidders are summoned to sales which go on throughout the day.

03:49 (41.49) National and international buyers come to Liniers where auctioneers like Juan Batista oversee operations. Workers here insist their herds are BSE free.

04:02 (42:02) SOT Juan Carlos Batista, Auctioneer

"We have a traceability here - if any European countries are listening to me - we have a traceability with our cows. In other words, the cows that we have sold today or on any other given day - we know their origin. We know where they come from, from what farm, who is their producer, who they were born from, and what quality the meat is. It is vital to know this, the exact history of each and every cow."

04:32 (42:32) Here, like everywhere else, the talk is of BSE. Despite strict monitoring and government control, the threat of the disease is real.

The Canadian government have now banned beef imports from Brazil, Argentina's closest neighbour.. Trade regulations have meant the United States and Mexico are following suit. It would seem the threat is getting nearer. Juan Batista remains positive.

05:04 (43:04) SOT

"If we analyze this closely, one hundred percent of the meat we sell here, be it cow, lamb or pork, is country-bred meat. In other words, it is natural, it is so-called ecological meat. I think this is going to eventually play in our favour, it has helped us in the past. In the rest of the world, people, even though they don't buy our meat in enormous quantities, know us for the quality of our meat. It has a tremendous taste, it is digestable, and it is tender, which is fundamental."

05.40 (43.40) But the government is not so confident. In January they announced the ban of all imports of beef products from most European countries.

05.49 (43.49) SOT Antonio Verongaray, Argentinian Agriculture Secretary

"There are, shall we say, levels of risk which have led to this decision. The on-going problem of BSE in Europe has left us no choice but to take these measures."

06:13 (44:13) While the crisis continues abroad, back at 'La Luz' it is business as usual. The Briano's group together the next load to be sold. The cows are counted and numbered. Before they leave they will be carefully weighed and checked.

06:22 (44:22) At 'La Luz' the Briano's herd together the next batch of cattle to be sold. With no BSE in Argentina, prices are still stable.

06:27 (44:27) But any possible ban on beef imports could cripple the country's already unstable economy. Brazil's beef industry was also thought to be clean. It may be a matter of time before attention turns to the pampas.

06:42 (44:42) Ariel Calabria has worked at La Luz for over thirty years.

06:47 (44:47) SOT, Ariel Calabria, Gaucho

"I think it could possibly arrive at a more intensive farm, a farm using intensive methods where the animals are fed a lot of raina or suchlike. The little I know about the subject the serious problems have developed in meat grown in these types of farms where they feed cows and fatten them in enclosed areas. Here, as you can see, they are brought up in the open."

07:10 (45:10) SOT Renato Briano, Cattle Farmer

"I think the chances (of BSE here) are minimal. I can't say it is impossible, I am not authorized to say it is impossible, but I think the chances of this sickness here are practically non-existent in extensive or even semi-intensive farming methods. "

07:37 (45.37) But Renato, like the Argentine government, watches developments nervously. Despite repeated assurances that their meat is clean, the fact remains that worldwide sales are still dropping as consumer confidence continues to fall. For now, all the Briano family can do is watch, and wait.

07:57

PRODUCER: DAVID NOTMAN-WATT

CAMERA: DAVID NOTMAN-WATT