U.S. plans a major reduction in its BSE testing

http://calgary.cbc.ca/regional/servl...w-usda20050414

U.S. denies having 2 BSE cases in 1997
Last Updated Apr 14 2005 08:18 AM MDT
CBC News
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Agriculture admits there were
problems with the samples taken from two cows in 1997, but insists the
animals did not have mad cow disease.

Ron DeHaven, administrator of the USDA's Animal and Plant Inspection
Service, said that while key parts of the animals' brains needed to
make an accurate diagnosis were missing and not tested, it was better
to test what they had.

"We had two choices: run the tests with the samples that we had, or not
run them at all," DeHaven said "If we had something to hide, we could
make an argument for not running the samples at all.

"In this case, we chose to run the samples with the tissues that we had
and subject them to three different tests to compensate for the fact
that we may not have the perfect tissues."

For years Canadian cattle producers have been suspicious about U.S.
claims that it has only found one cow affected with bovine spongiform
encephalopathy - and that the one animal had been born in Canada. The
cow, sent south from Leduc, was diagnosed in December 2003 in
Washington state.

Three other Canadian-born animals have tested positive for BSE. The
first case, confirmed in May 2003, saw the U.S. shut its border to
Canadian beef. It was to reopen last month, but an American ranchers'
group obtained a temporary injunction.

CBC News uncovered a USDA video showing what USDA veterinarians feared
might be two cases of mad cow disease in the U.S.

The official tests were negative. But CBC news uncovered documents
showing key areas of the cow's brain, in both cases, were never tested.

FROM APRIL 13, 2005: Concerns raised about 1997 U.S. mad cow tests

Retired USDA scientist Karl Langheinrich says without those tests,
American authorities will never be able to rule out mad cow disease.

"It means you cannot make a diagnosis, a specific diagnosis," he said.

Rick Paskal, who runs a feedlot near Iron Springs and has fought to
have the U.S. border reopened, says the news is frustrating.

"It just enrages me, this double standard that they have set on the
North American continent," he said. "We need to ensure to the consumers
that our beef is safe.

"And when people within the USDA, their own people are questioning
their own organization as to whether some of the protocols were
followed or not followed, then my goodness, it doesn't speak for their
system."

Bill Donald, president of the Montana Stockgrowers Association, says
the important thing is that the U.S. has been diligent in its testing
for the last 14 months.

"I think this increased testing that's being done right now is more
meaningful than some tests in 1997, where they thought they had some
problems with the samples," he said.

Rob McNabb, of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association, says his
organization wants the USDA to investigate.

"What we would fully expect is that the USDA address the allegations,"
he said.

One of the USDA's top officials said that the U.S. testing program was
never designed to catch every single case of mad cow disease, but to
measure how much disease there is.

After testing thousands of animals the USDA believes if BSE exists,
it's at a very low level.

Next year, the U.S. plans a major reduction in its BSE testing program,
from a high of 300,000 animals to just 40,000.

*******

I hope they implement an Country of Origin Labeling program in North
America for beef. I am only buying Canadian Beef. At least then I know
that they are doing all they can to properly deal with all cases of
BSE, unlike in the US where they are trying to hide it from their own
consumers.

TC

wrote in message
ups.com...

http://calgary.cbc.ca/regional/servl...w-usda20050414

*******

I hope they implement an Country of Origin Labeling program in North
America for beef. I am only buying Canadian Beef. At least then I know
that they are doing all they can to properly deal with all cases of
BSE, unlike in the US where they are trying to hide it from their own
consumers.

TC


It's a shame that the Canadian cattle industry is being decimated while
many people in the beef industry suspect the problem is not confined by a
border.

" It's a shame that the Canadian cattle industry is being decimated
while
many people in the beef industry suspect the problem is not confined by
a
border. "

I suspect that you're an asshole too, but that's just suspicion too,
though clearly more justifiable.

" It's a shame that the Canadian cattle industry is being decimated
while
many people in the beef industry suspect the problem is not confined by
a
border. "

I suspect that you're an asshole too, but that's just suspicion too,
though clearly more justifiable.

wrote:
" It's a shame that the Canadian cattle industry is being decimated
while
many people in the beef industry suspect the problem is not confined
by
a
border. "

I suspect that you're an asshole too, but that's just suspicion too,
though clearly more justifiable.

What's your problem? Why are you attacking people personally?

TC

wrote in message
oups.com...
" It's a shame that the Canadian cattle industry is being decimated
while
many people in the beef industry suspect the problem is not confined by
a
border. "

I suspect that you're an asshole too, but that's just suspicion too,
though clearly more justifiable.


The U.S. should be suspicious enough to test it's cattle. The U.S. beef
market is about 7 times larger than Canada's. What do you think the chances
are of isolating the disease to one small locale, given the free trade of
live cattle ( before border closing ), and the fact that it takes years
before it is detected?

Tom G wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
" It's a shame that the Canadian cattle industry is being decimated
while
many people in the beef industry suspect the problem is not
confined by
a
border. "

I suspect that you're an asshole too, but that's just suspicion
too,
though clearly more justifiable.


The U.S. should be suspicious enough to test it's cattle. The U.S.
beef
market is about 7 times larger than Canada's. What do you think the
chances
are of isolating the disease to one small locale, given the free
trade of
live cattle ( before border closing ), and the fact that it takes
years
before it is detected?

The number of cattle in the US is about 11 times greater than Canada's
and for all intents and purposes they are so integrated as to be
un-divisible. Thousands of cattle go back and forth across the border
every year, or I should say, used to go across the border every year.
At least one of the BSE infected cows originated in the US.

TC

wrote in message
ps.com...

Tom G wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
" It's a shame that the Canadian cattle industry is being decimated
while
many people in the beef industry suspect the problem is not
confined by
a
border. "

I suspect that you're an asshole too, but that's just suspicion
too,
though clearly more justifiable.


The U.S. should be suspicious enough to test it's cattle. The U.S.
beef
market is about 7 times larger than Canada's. What do you think the
chances
are of isolating the disease to one small locale, given the free
trade of
live cattle ( before border closing ), and the fact that it takes
years
before it is detected?

The number of cattle in the US is about 11 times greater than Canada's

O.K.

and for all intents and purposes they are so integrated as to be
un-divisible.

That's why many believe the problem is more wide spread.

Thousands of cattle go back and forth across the border
every year, or I should say, used to go across the border every year.
At least one of the BSE infected cows originated in the US.

Isolating the disease, when found, is a good thing. It would be foolish
for one to believe that it's only a Canadian problem.


TC

"Tom G" wrote in message
news:T2B7e.1011781$Xk.686081@pd7tw3no...

The U.S. should be suspicious enough to test it's cattle.

Not particularly.....if out of millions of cows you consistantly get no
disease....testing and the expence is rather pointless. There are many ways
to get sick or die.... at some point probability is a reasonable marker in
determining which test to run and how often.

The U.S. beef
market is about 7 times larger than Canada's. What do you think the
chances
are of isolating the disease to one small locale,

Very good

given the free trade of
live cattle ( before border closing ), and the fact that it takes years
before it is detected?

The contaminated cows came from specific contaminated feed ......localized
in Canada as well as eventually the U.S......appropriate steps have been
taken to avoid this danger in the future especially following Britains much
larger problem etc.....By law in 1997 animal feed requirements were
tightened.....Besides most beef cattle do not live a long life (30 months or
less)....the only old cattle still possibly left are only ground up for
hamburger with particular attention now to how potentially contaminated
internal parts are handled or disposed of.....with only one single case
ever.... that was successfully caught and removed from the food
supply....with not a single U.S. death or injury to the disease.... worrying
about Mad cow from the consumer point of view is quite pointless. Your more
likely to die from your monitor falling on you....Rod

Rod & Betty Jo wrote:
"Tom G" wrote in message
news:T2B7e.1011781$Xk.686081@pd7tw3no...

The U.S. should be suspicious enough to test it's cattle.

Not particularly.....if out of millions of cows you consistantly get
no
disease....testing and the expence is rather pointless. There are
many ways
to get sick or die.... at some point probability is a reasonable
marker in
determining which test to run and how often.


If you only test thousands, not millions, and when there is a
suspicious case you don't test or you hide the test results, testing
does indeed become pointless.

The U.S. beef
market is about 7 times larger than Canada's. What do you think the

chances
are of isolating the disease to one small locale,

Very good

given the free trade of
live cattle ( before border closing ), and the fact that it takes
years
before it is detected?

The contaminated cows came from specific contaminated feed
.......localized
in Canada as well as eventually the U.S......appropriate steps have
been
taken to avoid this danger in the future especially following
Britains much
larger problem etc.....By law in 1997 animal feed requirements were
tightened.....Besides most beef cattle do not live a long life (30
months or
less)....the only old cattle still possibly left are only ground up
for
hamburger with particular attention now to how potentially
contaminated
internal parts are handled or disposed of.....with only one single
case
ever.... that was successfully caught and removed from the food
supply....with not a single U.S. death or injury to the disease....
worrying
about Mad cow from the consumer point of view is quite pointless.
Your more
likely to die from your monitor falling on you....Rod

That is exactly what the British government officials said running up
to the outbreak there. "There has been no death or injury from the
disease therefore we are safe, worrying about it is pointless" Boy,
were they wrong. Hundreds of Brits died from the disease.

Canada has taken steps to ensure as definitively as possible that all
BSE cows are identified and prevented from entering the food chain,
that re-assures the consumer that the odds of CJDs are as minimized as
possible.

The US appears to have done everything it can to avoid finding any
cases and getting bad publicity for their industry, that may be safe
for the industry but it sure is dangerous to the consumer.

TC