A BSE Class Action Information Session, organized under the direction of BSE class action lawyer Cameron Pallett and beef producers from the province of Alberta will take place Wednesday, March 31st, at 12 noon in the Stockmens Pavilion at Westerner Park, Red Deer, AB.

In April 2005 class action claims were filed in the courts in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec on behalf of all farmers of cattle resident in Canada on May 20, 2003. The claims allege that negligence on the part of the Federal Government caused the BSE crisis in Canada, and the corresponding loss of income to Canadian cattle producers.

The actions in Alberta and Saskatchewan have since been joined to the Ontario action. Lawyers behind the two remaining class action suits will go to court in April to ask for a final merger of the Quebec action with the Ontario action. The trial pitting about 135,000 Canadian cattle producers against Ottawa over losses due to BSE will take place in Toronto.

The Information Session is to provide industry stake holders in Alberta with up-to-date information on the BSE Class Action and what producers can do to help in securing a payout in a reasonable time frame.

"The support from cattle producers all across Canada has been tremendous. Now that we are heading to trial, we feel it is necessary to hold information sessions across Canada to let producers know where they stand," explained Cameron Pallett. "Response from Alberta beef producers has been strong and we expect over 1,500 to rally with us at the March 31st session in Red Deer."

More information on the BSE Class Action can be found at www.bseclassaction.ca.