U.S. covering up mad cow cases, scientist says

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...79/?hub=Canada

U.S. covering up mad cow cases, scientist says
Canadian Press


OTTAWA - A scientist and former inspector for the U.S Agriculture
Department says he's willing to take a lie detector test to back his
claim that his government is covering up mad cow disease.


Lester Friedlander, now a consumer advocate, was fired from his job as
head of inspections at a large meat-packing plant in Philadelphia in
1995 after criticizing what he called unsafe practices.


Friedlander said he knows U.S. Agriculture Department veterinarians who

sent suspect cow brains to private laboratories that confirmed mad cow
infection, but samples from the same animals were cleared by government

labs.


"It's several veterinarians that have given me similar stories about
sending cow brains in,'' he said in an interview Tuesday. "It might be
shocking for Canadians but it wouldn't be shocking for veterinarians
that have worked for the USDA.


"I'm willing to back this up with a voice stress analysis test or even
a lie detector test.''


Friedlander wouldn't name the veterinarians, saying they still work for

the Agriculture Department and would be fired if identified.


The department has denied Friedlander's allegations, which were first
reported last week.


Rob McNabb, a spokesman for the Canadian Cattlemen's Association, said
it does seem puzzling that four mad cow cases have been detected in
Canadian-born cattle but none in U.S.-born cattle.


"It's true that the risk ... is very similar, and it is surprising,''
he said.


There are 120 million cattle in the United States, 15 million in
Canada.


"I guess there's always going to be people raising the question, `How
come it's 4-0?','' he said.


But McNabb wouldn't comment on Friedlander's allegations.


Michael Hansen, a scientist with the U.S. Consumers Union in
Washington, said there's widespread suspicion about the testing of
three suspected cases of mad cow in U.S. cattle.


Hansen said all tests came back negative in the three cases but the
USDA used a rapid test based on immuno-histochemistry, not the Western
blot test which is considered most reliable.


"Many of the top scientists think that's insane,'' he said of the use
of the less reliable test.


He said there are also suspicions about a recent case in St. Angelo,
Tex., when officials at an abattoir noticed a cow was staggering and
wanted it tested, but permission was refused.


"The federal inspectors and the plant employees all wanted to test the
animal and basically (the USDA) said, `Nah, we're not going to do
that.' So the animal was sent to rendering and was never tested.''


Hansen said there appears to be a great lack of eagerness to detect mad

cow in the United States.


A study by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis three years ago
concluded there was a 20 per cent chance that mad cow was present in
the United States.


The U.S. government closed its border to live cattle imports from
Canada in 2003 after a single Canadian cow tested positive for the
disease. Three other Canadian cases have been confirmed since then, one

in a Washington State cow that originally came from Canada.


The border was to reopen to live cattle March 7 this year but that was
delayed by a challenge from a U.S. cattle industry lobby group.


Friedlander was in Ottawa to testify at a Commons committee examining
proposed changes to the Canadian food regulation system.


********

TC

wrote:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...79/?hub=Canada

U.S. covering up mad cow cases, scientist says
Canadian Press


OTTAWA - A scientist and former inspector for the U.S Agriculture
Department says he's willing to take a lie detector test to back his
claim that his government is covering up mad cow disease.


Lester Friedlander, now a consumer advocate, was fired from his job
as
head of inspections at a large meat-packing plant in Philadelphia in
1995 after criticizing what he called unsafe practices.


Friedlander said he knows U.S. Agriculture Department veterinarians
who

sent suspect cow brains to private laboratories that confirmed mad
cow
infection, but samples from the same animals were cleared by
government

labs.


"It's several veterinarians that have given me similar stories about
sending cow brains in,'' he said in an interview Tuesday. "It might
be
shocking for Canadians but it wouldn't be shocking for veterinarians
that have worked for the USDA.


"I'm willing to back this up with a voice stress analysis test or
even
a lie detector test.''


Friedlander wouldn't name the veterinarians, saying they still work
for

the Agriculture Department and would be fired if identified.


The department has denied Friedlander's allegations, which were first
reported last week.


Rob McNabb, a spokesman for the Canadian Cattlemen's Association,
said
it does seem puzzling that four mad cow cases have been detected in
Canadian-born cattle but none in U.S.-born cattle.


"It's true that the risk ... is very similar, and it is surprising,''
he said.


There are 120 million cattle in the United States, 15 million in
Canada.


"I guess there's always going to be people raising the question, `How
come it's 4-0?','' he said.


But McNabb wouldn't comment on Friedlander's allegations.


Michael Hansen, a scientist with the U.S. Consumers Union in
Washington, said there's widespread suspicion about the testing of
three suspected cases of mad cow in U.S. cattle.


Hansen said all tests came back negative in the three cases but the
USDA used a rapid test based on immuno-histochemistry, not the
Western
blot test which is considered most reliable.


"Many of the top scientists think that's insane,'' he said of the use
of the less reliable test.


He said there are also suspicions about a recent case in St. Angelo,
Tex., when officials at an abattoir noticed a cow was staggering and
wanted it tested, but permission was refused.


"The federal inspectors and the plant employees all wanted to test
the
animal and basically (the USDA) said, `Nah, we're not going to do
that.' So the animal was sent to rendering and was never tested.''


Hansen said there appears to be a great lack of eagerness to detect
mad

cow in the United States.


A study by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis three years ago
concluded there was a 20 per cent chance that mad cow was present in
the United States.


The U.S. government closed its border to live cattle imports from
Canada in 2003 after a single Canadian cow tested positive for the
disease. Three other Canadian cases have been confirmed since then,
one

in a Washington State cow that originally came from Canada.


The border was to reopen to live cattle March 7 this year but that
was
delayed by a challenge from a U.S. cattle industry lobby group.


Friedlander was in Ottawa to testify at a Commons committee examining
proposed changes to the Canadian food regulation system.


********

TC

Who cares about a lie detector test? Let's see some bovine CNS tissue
samples, then we'll talk.

warehouse wrote:
wrote:


http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...79/?hub=Canada

U.S. covering up mad cow cases, scientist says
Canadian Press


OTTAWA - A scientist and former inspector for the U.S Agriculture
Department says he's willing to take a lie detector test to back
his
claim that his government is covering up mad cow disease.


Lester Friedlander, now a consumer advocate, was fired from his job
as
head of inspections at a large meat-packing plant in Philadelphia
in
1995 after criticizing what he called unsafe practices.


Friedlander said he knows U.S. Agriculture Department veterinarians
who

sent suspect cow brains to private laboratories that confirmed mad
cow
infection, but samples from the same animals were cleared by
government

labs.


"It's several veterinarians that have given me similar stories
about
sending cow brains in,'' he said in an interview Tuesday. "It might
be
shocking for Canadians but it wouldn't be shocking for
veterinarians
that have worked for the USDA.


"I'm willing to back this up with a voice stress analysis test or
even
a lie detector test.''


Friedlander wouldn't name the veterinarians, saying they still work
for

the Agriculture Department and would be fired if identified.


The department has denied Friedlander's allegations, which were
first
reported last week.


Rob McNabb, a spokesman for the Canadian Cattlemen's Association,
said
it does seem puzzling that four mad cow cases have been detected in
Canadian-born cattle but none in U.S.-born cattle.


"It's true that the risk ... is very similar, and it is
surprising,''
he said.


There are 120 million cattle in the United States, 15 million in
Canada.


"I guess there's always going to be people raising the question,
`How
come it's 4-0?','' he said.


But McNabb wouldn't comment on Friedlander's allegations.


Michael Hansen, a scientist with the U.S. Consumers Union in
Washington, said there's widespread suspicion about the testing of
three suspected cases of mad cow in U.S. cattle.


Hansen said all tests came back negative in the three cases but the
USDA used a rapid test based on immuno-histochemistry, not the
Western
blot test which is considered most reliable.


"Many of the top scientists think that's insane,'' he said of the
use
of the less reliable test.


He said there are also suspicions about a recent case in St.
Angelo,
Tex., when officials at an abattoir noticed a cow was staggering
and
wanted it tested, but permission was refused.


"The federal inspectors and the plant employees all wanted to test
the
animal and basically (the USDA) said, `Nah, we're not going to do
that.' So the animal was sent to rendering and was never tested.''


Hansen said there appears to be a great lack of eagerness to detect
mad

cow in the United States.


A study by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis three years ago
concluded there was a 20 per cent chance that mad cow was present
in
the United States.


The U.S. government closed its border to live cattle imports from
Canada in 2003 after a single Canadian cow tested positive for the
disease. Three other Canadian cases have been confirmed since then,
one

in a Washington State cow that originally came from Canada.


The border was to reopen to live cattle March 7 this year but that
was
delayed by a challenge from a U.S. cattle industry lobby group.


Friedlander was in Ottawa to testify at a Commons committee
examining
proposed changes to the Canadian food regulation system.


********

TC

Who cares about a lie detector test? Let's see some bovine CNS
tissue
samples, then we'll talk.

That's the problem now isn't it. These people are trying to do their
jobs and aren't being allowed to do that. They are being fired for
wanting to do the testing that they are supposed to be doing.

Inspectors are being fired. Scientists are being forced into
retirement. Tests aren't being done. Tissue samples are dissappearing
or are not being taken in the first place.

What are they doing with the BSE animals, if there are any? Are any
getting into the US food supply? How would you know? At least in Canada
they are doing what they have to to indentify the bse animals and
ensuring that they don't enter the food supply.

The impact of BSE on the Canadian economy is staggering but they will
recover by being honest and upfront about the situation. They will
recover within a few years. But the impact of the US's attitude on
covering up BSE is going to destroy the American beef farmer for
decades if not generations.

TC

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...79/?hub=Canada

U.S. covering up mad cow cases, scientist says
Canadian Press

Need anything else be said?

--
Bob

Kanyak's Doghouse
http://www.kanyak.com

wrote:
warehouse wrote:
wrote:



http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...79/?hub=Canada

U.S. covering up mad cow cases, scientist says
Canadian Press


OTTAWA - A scientist and former inspector for the U.S Agriculture
Department says he's willing to take a lie detector test to back
his
claim that his government is covering up mad cow disease.


Lester Friedlander, now a consumer advocate, was fired from his
job
as
head of inspections at a large meat-packing plant in Philadelphia
in
1995 after criticizing what he called unsafe practices.


Friedlander said he knows U.S. Agriculture Department
veterinarians
who

sent suspect cow brains to private laboratories that confirmed
mad
cow
infection, but samples from the same animals were cleared by
government

labs.


"It's several veterinarians that have given me similar stories
about
sending cow brains in,'' he said in an interview Tuesday. "It
might
be
shocking for Canadians but it wouldn't be shocking for
veterinarians
that have worked for the USDA.


"I'm willing to back this up with a voice stress analysis test or
even
a lie detector test.''


Friedlander wouldn't name the veterinarians, saying they still
work
for

the Agriculture Department and would be fired if identified.


The department has denied Friedlander's allegations, which were
first
reported last week.


Rob McNabb, a spokesman for the Canadian Cattlemen's Association,
said
it does seem puzzling that four mad cow cases have been detected
in
Canadian-born cattle but none in U.S.-born cattle.


"It's true that the risk ... is very similar, and it is
surprising,''
he said.


There are 120 million cattle in the United States, 15 million in
Canada.


"I guess there's always going to be people raising the question,
`How
come it's 4-0?','' he said.


But McNabb wouldn't comment on Friedlander's allegations.


Michael Hansen, a scientist with the U.S. Consumers Union in
Washington, said there's widespread suspicion about the testing
of
three suspected cases of mad cow in U.S. cattle.


Hansen said all tests came back negative in the three cases but
the
USDA used a rapid test based on immuno-histochemistry, not the
Western
blot test which is considered most reliable.


"Many of the top scientists think that's insane,'' he said of the
use
of the less reliable test.


He said there are also suspicions about a recent case in St.
Angelo,
Tex., when officials at an abattoir noticed a cow was staggering
and
wanted it tested, but permission was refused.


"The federal inspectors and the plant employees all wanted to
test
the
animal and basically (the USDA) said, `Nah, we're not going to do
that.' So the animal was sent to rendering and was never
tested.''


Hansen said there appears to be a great lack of eagerness to
detect
mad

cow in the United States.


A study by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis three years ago
concluded there was a 20 per cent chance that mad cow was present
in
the United States.


The U.S. government closed its border to live cattle imports from
Canada in 2003 after a single Canadian cow tested positive for
the
disease. Three other Canadian cases have been confirmed since
then,
one

in a Washington State cow that originally came from Canada.


The border was to reopen to live cattle March 7 this year but
that
was
delayed by a challenge from a U.S. cattle industry lobby group.


Friedlander was in Ottawa to testify at a Commons committee
examining
proposed changes to the Canadian food regulation system.


********

TC

Who cares about a lie detector test? Let's see some bovine CNS
tissue
samples, then we'll talk.

That's the problem now isn't it. These people are trying to do their
jobs and aren't being allowed to do that. They are being fired for
wanting to do the testing that they are supposed to be doing.

Inspectors are being fired. Scientists are being forced into
retirement. Tests aren't being done. Tissue samples are dissappearing
or are not being taken in the first place.

What are they doing with the BSE animals, if there are any? Are any
getting into the US food supply? How would you know? At least in
Canada
they are doing what they have to to indentify the bse animals and
ensuring that they don't enter the food supply.

The impact of BSE on the Canadian economy is staggering but they will
recover by being honest and upfront about the situation. They will
recover within a few years. But the impact of the US's attitude on
covering up BSE is going to destroy the American beef farmer for
decades if not generations.

TC

Several FOIA requests to APHIS and to the Ames NVSL for specific date
ranges and source facilities known to the nacent whistleblower would be
sufficient.

X-No-Archive: yes

"wombn" wrote in message
...
Sometimes I get so sick of conspiracy theory.
====================
I wonder if the mad-cow was in the book depository or on the grassy
knoll....... ;-)
--

Wysong
Age 60. Height 5'6"
Starting date: 1/8/05
171/ 163 / 140 lb
~~~~~~{@ ~~~~~~{@ ~~~~~~{@

The CBC is not just some silly blogger or some disreputable rag like
the National Inquirer or Faux News, it is Canada's national news
organization and is recognized for its integrity internationally.
Throughout the world.

You can be sure that what they report in not designed to be incendiary
(like Faux News) or designed just to raise hackles, it is the real
story.

TC

wombn wrote:
On 13 Apr 2005 09:22:45 -0700, "warehouse"
wrote:


Who cares about a lie detector test? Let's see some bovine CNS
tissue
samples, then we'll talk.

yeah, they should take a couple of samples to keep at home, and send
one to a well-known media personality. That would blow the lid right
off. If there's a lid to be blown off.

Sometimes I get so sick of conspiracy theory.

--

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If laughter is the best medicine,
then kittens should be covered by our health insurance. :-)

Yeah great you spamming Canadian clown. And what the hell did the CBC
actually report besides old news and the fact that a disgruntled former
USDA employee is making accusations, apparently with no proof.

On Thu, 14 Apr 2005 11:56:13 -0700, wombn wrote:

I don't think they're particularly objective when it comes to talking
about the US

I don't think any country is about countries other than their own. But
you should hear Canada laugh at itself

--
On a Halloween Batman costume:
"This cape does not give the wearer the ability to fly."

wrote:
Yeah great you spamming Canadian clown.

**** you, you Amerian-beef-insustry apologist.

And what the hell did the CBC
actually report besides old news and the fact that a disgruntled
former
USDA employee is making accusations, apparently with no proof.

They reported some VERY disturbing ****. And if I was an American-beef
consuming person from anywhere in the world I would worry about the
cover up that is directly threatening my health and the health of my
family.

Time to start buying safe, properly tested, properly monitored,
transparently handled, Canadian beef.

TC