U.S. denies hiding mad-cow cases

WASHINGTON (CP) - The U.S. Agriculture Department said Thursday there's "no way" it would hide cases of mad-cow disease because that would hurt the beef industry.

A former department veterinarian, Dr. Lester Friedlander, said this week on a speaking tour in Edmonton that U.S. officials found new cases of the disease and chose not to reveal them.

"That's just not the case," spokesman Ed Loyd said, adding officials expected to discover more cases but haven't yet.

"There's no way we'd benefit by being anything less than completely transparent. It would jeopardize the markets we're trying to open," said Loyd.

"It would set the entire beef industry in this country back. We're not going to do anything to jeopardize that."

Friedlander, who's been invited to speak to Parliament's agriculture committee next week, couldn't be reached for comment Thursday.

He told the Edmonton Journal newspaper Wednesday it's not credible the United States has found just one case out of 120 million cattle.

The department revealed in December 2003 a Washington state cow originally from Alberta tested positive for the disease.

Canada has announced three other cases. The first, in May 2003, sparked an industry crisis when the United States shut the border to Canadian beef.

Last June, the United States launched a wider surveillance program and has conducted 280,000 tests since.

"We expected to find additional cases," said Loyd.

"We still may but that has not occurred. All the results have been negative."

Friedlander, a USDA veterinarian from 1985 to 1995 and chief inspector at the largest hamburger plant in the U.S., said he was fired for speaking out about safety issues.

He said former colleagues have told him about new cases of mad cow, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy but they're near retirement age and risk losing their pensions if they speak out.

The border was supposed to reopen to Canadian cattle March 7 but that was temporarily delayed by a court challenge from R-CALF Stockgrowers of America, a protectionist ranchers' group based in Montana that insists Canadian meat is unsafe.

U.S. officials have appealed the ruling in an effort to resume trade until a hearing on the long-term future of the border can be heard in July.

Source: cnews.canoe.ca...

Its happening in Japan aswell. Japan confirms first case of human mad cow disease www.usatoday.com..., www.cnn.com....

Japan confirms 15th case of mad cow disease, www.ctv.ca....

It keeps spreading and people dont even know it. I rarely eat cow meat,
so I dont have to worry about such. Thats why I eat chicken.

Why risk it for your kids when serving them a hamburger? It scares the hell outta me. Media is more obsessed with the Michael Jackson Case,
Popes Death and the New Pope when cases of Mad Cow are happening.

More information on Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease can be found at
www.cjdfoundation.org

[edit on 26-4-2005 by phantomviewer]

They're damned if they do and they're damned if they don't. Personally, I wouldn't blame them. Eating beef might become a calculated risk eventually, and I accept that. I figure if I buy the most expensive beef I can find, my odds of ever contracting Mad Cow are better. If they ever had a Mad Cow panic in America, think of the damage it would do to the economy. It would be devastating!

Peace

[edit on 26-4-2005 by Dr Love]

They dont want beef prices to go down in U.S. -
I can understand. Thinks*

Originally posted by www.cattlenetwork.com...

Cattle Alert: 82 Organizations Support House Resolution to Protect U.S. Beef Supply



WASHINGTON (March 15, 2005) _ In a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives today, 82 farm and consumer groups urged support of House Joint Resolution 23, which rejects the Agriculture Department's plan to reestablish live cattle and beef trade with countries that have documented cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).



"National Farmers Union and others applaud the efforts of Representatives Herseth and Cubin for introducing this legislation on behalf of U.S. beef producers and consumers," said NFU President Dave Frederickson. "Immediate passage of this resolution should be the House of Representative's highest priority."



The full text of the letter and groups follows:



United States House of Representatives

Washington, D.C. 20515



Dear Representative:



We write today representing millions of Americans that do not support the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) plan to establish "minimal-risk regions" and permit the importation of commodities from countries with documented cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE); including resuming live cattle trade with Canada. We ask for your support and cosponsorship of House Joint Resolution 23, introduced by Representatives Herseth (D-SD) and Cubin (R-WY) to reject USDA's current plan. It is vital this resolution be passed before USDA's rule is implemented and we urge you to place consideration of the resolution at the top of the House of Representatives' priority list.



Now is not the time to rush in reopening the border with Canada, particularly given their most recent announcements of BSE-positive cattle, discovered after the publication of USDA's plan. United States must be absolutely sure that the proper steps are being taken to protect the public before the border to Canada is open to cattle and beef products. America produces the safest and most abundant food supply that our consumers have come to depend on. It is unwise to potentially jeopardize the consumer trust instilled in our food supply to prematurely opening our markets to BSE-positive countries.



The United States Senate passed a similar resolution rejecting USDA's plans by a vote of 52-46. During debate in the Senate, many members remarked on the lack of compliance Canada has demonstrated regarding its ruminant feeding ban; the fact our largest beef export markets remain closed to U.S. beef; and finally, mandatory country-of-origin labeling is not in place. We fully concur with these concerns and strongly believe these issues need to be resolved prior to opening the border to Canada.



On behalf of American consumers and agricultural producers, we again urge you to support and cosponsor H.J. Resolution 23. Please contact Representative Herseth's office at 5-2801 (Ryan Stroschein) or Representative Cubin's office at 5-2311 (Alison McGuire) to cosponsor H.J.

Resolution 23.



Sincerely,



American Agriculture Movement

American Corn Growers Association

American Meat Goat Association

Arkansas Farmers Union

Calaveras Co. Cattlemen's Association (CA)

California Dairy Campaign

California Farmers Union

Cattle Producers of Washington

Center for Rural Affairs

Churches' Center for Land and People

Citizen's Action Coalition (IN)

Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CA)

Consumer Federation of America

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Foundation

Dakota Resource Council

Dakota Rural Action

Family Farm Defenders

Family Farm for the Future (MO)

Florida Farmers, Inc

Idaho Farmers Union

Idaho Rural Council

Illinois Farmers Union

Independent Cattlemen's Association of Texas

Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska

Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy

Intertribal Agriculture Council

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement

Iowa Farmers Union

Kansas Cattlemen's Association

Kansas Farmers Union

Kansas National Farmers Organization

Kit Carson County Cattlemen's Association (CO)

Land Stewardship Project (MN)

Lincoln/Elbert Co. Farmers Union (CO)

Livestock Marketing Association

McPherson Co. Farmers Union (KS)

Michigan Farmers Union

Minnesota Farmers Union

Mississippi Livestock Market Association

Missouri Farmers Union

Missouri Rural Crisis Center

Montana Cattlemen's Association

Montana Farmers Union

National Association of Counties

National Consumers League

National Contract Poultry Growers Association

National Family Farm Coalition

National Farmers Organization

National Farmers Union

Nebraska Farmers Union

Nevada Committee for Full Statehood

Nevada Live Stock Association

New Mexico Cattle Growers'

North Carolina Contract Poultry Growers Association

North Dakota Farmers Union

Northern Plains Resource Council

Ohio Farmers Union

Oregon Farmers Union

Oregon Livestock Producers Association

Oregon Rural Action

Organization for Competitive Markets

Pennsylvania Farmers Union

Powder River Basin Resource Council

Public Citizen

R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America

Rocky Mountain Farmers Union

Rural Roots (ID, Eastern WA)

Rural Vermont

South Dakota Farmers Union

South Dakota Livestock Auction Markets Assn.

South Dakota Stockgrowers Association

Southern Shrimp Alliance

Soybean Producers of America

Spokane Co. Cattle Producers (WA)

Stillwater Range Association (MT)

Sustainable Earth

Texas Farmers Union

Utah Farmers Union

Washington Farmers Union

Western Colorado Congress

Western Organization of Resource Councils

Wisconsin Farmers Union

[edit on 26-4-2005 by phantomviewer]

Perhaps they're not hiding them per se....

But They're not testing adequately either, imo.