The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

Mad Cow Madness

At the end of December, the USDA decided to reopen the border to live

imports of Canadian cattle under the age of 30 months on March 7th,

ending the 19-month old ban that was instituted after the first native

case of mad cow disease (or BSE) was found in Canada. They justified

this decision by stating that Canada was a "minimal-risk" country and

could be designated so with up to 11 cases of BSE in its herd!  However,

just hours after the USDA's announcement, another case of mad cow

disease was detected in Canada. The USDA said that would not affect

their decision to re-open the border, even as some cattle producers'

groups and consumers' groups protested the decision.



However, on January 11th, yet another infected cow was located in

Canada, and this one was born after Canada's feed-ban rules, intended to

stop the spread of BSE, went into effect in 1997. Obviously, this calls

into question the implementation of those rules! Canadian officials are

suggesting that the cow was infected through contaminated feed still in

use shortly after the ban. However, Canadian government tests in 2004

revealed that 59% of feed labeled vegetarian actually contained animal

parts (cattle consumption of infected cattle or sheep parts is a main

avenue of BSE transmission), which reveals their ineffective regulation

of feed.  Mad cow disease is believed to cause a fatal brain-wasting

disease in humans who consume infected tissue.



Will it take 7 more cases for the USDA to back off this plan? Political

pressure, by both cattle producers' groups and politicians, are upping

the heat on the USDA to end the border re-opening, which will hurt

prices for American ranchers and leave American consumers- who still

don't have country of origin labeling- wondering where their beef

originated and whether it is safe.



1.      Send an email Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman and

urge her to back off the premature and unsafe plan to re-open the border

to Canadian cattle!

http://www.citizen.org/cmep/foodsafety/articles.cfm?ID=12795



2.      Write a letter to the editor of your local paper, to emphasize

the importance of keeping our food supply safe from mad cow disease.

Point out that:



*       The border should remain closed to imports of Canadian cattle.



*       Consumers deserve to know where their food comes from.



*       Congress delayed until 2006 a provision in the Farm Bill that

would have mandated country-of-origin labeling for meat, fresh and

frozen fruits, and vegetables.  We need this labeling NOW, not in two

more years.



With new cases of mad cow disease continuing to surface, mandatory

labeling on all meat will help consumers make informed decisions on the

food they buy to protect themselves and their families.





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