Are there more mentally challenged cows among us? Many
researchers think so, and many also believe that there is a government
conspiracy to cover up the extent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in
our country. A downer cow (or is that a vertically challenged bovine?)
from an undisclosed US state tested positive for mad cow disease last
November, but the US Department of Agriculture resisted retesting the
animal. The animal had initially tested positive twice on what are known
as rapid tests, but negative on another type of test called
immunohistochemistry.
Last November, a watchdog group, Consumers Union, asked
the USDA to run another type of test called a Western Blot test and to
send brain samples to a respected lab in Weybridge, England. The USDA
replied that it had no intention of taking either action. The agency
waited seven months to take further action until the USDA’s Office of the
Inspector General requested that the USDA retest using the Western Blot
test. The agency hasn’t released the results of that test but they have
sent brain samples to the International BSE Laboratory in Weybridge. It
will be another week or so until the lab in England reports their results.
Eighteen months ago the Bush administration promised to
end the practice of feeding American cattle chicken litter, cattle blood
and restaurant leftovers in order to strengthen defenses against the
transmission of mad cow disease. No action has been taken. Cattle continue
to be fed chicken droppings, cattle blood and slaughterhouse waste.
Another tactic that would make the US meat supply safer,
the labeling of meat packages with country of origin information, suffered
a setback last Monday when the US Agricultural Appropriations Committee
voted to not fund the USDA to write final rules for meat labeling. Country
of origin labeling was first approved in the 2002 farm bill and was
supposed to take effect in 2004. Under pressure from meat producer
lobbyists, Congress voted to delay funding for the program until September
2006. The Bush administration wants to repeal labeling for meat
altogether.
Although the stock market reported a drop in cattle
futures last Monday, by Tuesday the market had almost completely
recovered. People just don’t seem to be that concerned about mad cow
disease, or any of the other meat pathogens that kill thousands in our
country each year.
Do you trust the meat industry and the federal government
to ensure the safety of meat? As for me, I am glad my veggie-burgers are
clearly labeled with the place of origin and that there has not been the
discovery of a single mad soybean.
Go on to The SPCA of
Texas: A Volunteer's Perspective
Return to 19 June 2005 Issue
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