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Business=20
[ # ]
Workers package beef head meat at the Creekstone Farm Premium Beef=20
meatpacking plant in Arkansas City, Kan. The Bush administration urged=20
a federal appeals court to stop meatpackers from testing all animals for =
mad cow disease. =20
CHARLIE RIEDEL: ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE=20
May 9, 2008, 10:39PM
Safety
Meatpacker argues for extra testing
Government asks to limit checks for mad cow disease
By SAM HANANEL
Associated Press=20
WA****NGTON - The Bush administration on Friday urged a federal=20
appeals court to stop meatpackers from testing all their animals for mad =
cow disease, but a skeptical judge questioned whether the government=20
has that authority.
The government seeks to reverse a lower court ruling that allowed=20
Arkansas City, Kan.-based Creekstone Farms Premium Beef to conduct=20
more comprehensive testing to satisfy demand from overseas customers=20
in Japan and elsewhere.
Less than 1 percent of slaughtered cows are currently tested for the=20
disease under Agriculture Department guidelines. The agency argues that=20
more widespread testing does not guarantee food safety and could result=20
in a false positive that scares consumers.
"They want to create false assurances," Justice Department attorney Eric =
Flesig-Greene told a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for=20
the D.C. Circuit.
But Creekstone attorney Russell Frye contended the Agriculture =
Department's=20
regulations covering the treatment of domestic animals contain no =
prohibition=20
against an individual company testing for mad cow disease, since the =
test is=20
conducted only after a cow is slaughtered. He said the agency has no =
authority=20
to prevent companies from using the test to reassure customers. "This is =
the=20
government telling the consumers, 'You're not entitled to this =
information,' "=20
Frye said.
Chief Judge David Sentelle seemed to agree with Creekstone's contention =
that=20
the additional testing would not interfere with agency regulations =
governing the=20
treatment of animals. "All they want to do is create information," =
Sentelle said,=20
noting that it's up to consumers to decide how to interpret the =
information.
Larger meatpackers have opposed Creekstone's push to allow wider testing =
out of fear that consumer pressure would force them to begin testing all =
animals too. Increased testing would raise the price of meat by a few =
cents=20
per pound.
Mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, can be fatal to=20
humans who eat tainted beef.
The district court's ruling last year in favor of Creekstone was =
supposed=20
to take effect June 1, 2007, but the Agriculture Department's appeal has =
delayed the testing so far.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/biz/5769046.html
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
'US Violates Global Standards on Preventing Mad Cow Disease
by Michael Greger, M.D.,=20
Organic Consumers Association
2004
.....
Every year, an estimated 195,000 to a million cattle collapse in the US =
for=20
largely unknown reasons and are too sick or injured to rise. Even though =
these downed animals are not even fit to stand, an investigation of USDA =
slaughterhouse records showed that most of them are still ruled fit =
enough=20
for human consumption. Over the past 10 or so years, though, the USDA=20
has tested less than 2% of the downer cattle in United States. And, =
those=20
tests were almost exclusively limited to animals that were sent to =
slaughter.=20
The US tests even fewer of the downer cattle on farms and ranches that=20
never make it to the slaughterhouse, considered the single highest risk=20
cattle population in the United States. These dead, dying or downed =
cattle=20
can still then be fed to other livestock. It's no wonder that Dr. =
Prusiner=20
describes the number of tests done by USDA as "appalling."
.....
The surprising new finding linking mad cow disease with classic CJD has=20
been used to explain the rising numbers of those stricken with the =
classic=20
form of CJD in Europe. We don't see the incidence of this fatal disease =
in=20
North America because the disease isn't tracked here like it is in =
Europe.=20
We do know, though, that when researchers have actually gone back and=20
looked at the brains of presumed Alzheimer's deaths - where Alzheimer's=20
was indicated on the death certificate - anywhere from 3% to 25% had=20
actually died of Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease. According to the CDC,=20
Alzheimer's Disease is now the eighth leading cause of death in the =
United=20
States, affecting as many as 4 million Americans. Despite the fact that =
an=20
unknown number of Americans are already dying from this disease, the=20
beef industry continues to ignore the evidence.=20
.............'
http://www.greens.org/s-r/33/33-09.html
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<DIV>Business <BR><BR>[ # ]<BR>Workers package beef head meat at the =
Creekstone=20
Farm Premium Beef <BR>meatpacking plant in Arkansas City, Kan. The Bush=20
administration urged <BR>a federal appeals court to stop meatpackers =
from=20
testing all animals for <BR>mad cow disease. <BR>CHARLIE RIEDEL:=20
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE <BR><BR>May 9, 2008, =
10:39PM<BR>Safety<BR>Meatpacker=20
argues for extra testing<BR>Government asks to limit checks for mad cow=20
disease<BR><BR>By SAM HANANEL<BR>Associated Press <BR><BR>WA****NGTON =
— The Bush=20
administration on Friday urged a federal <BR>appeals court to stop =
meatpackers=20
from testing all their animals for mad <BR>cow disease, but a skeptical =
judge=20
questioned whether the government=20
<DIV>has that authority.<BR><BR>The government seeks to reverse a lower =
court=20
ruling that allowed </DIV>
<DIV>Arkansas City, Kan.-based Creekstone Farms Premium Beef to conduct =
</DIV>
<DIV>more comprehensive testing to satisfy demand from overseas =
customers </DIV>
<DIV>in Japan and elsewhere.<BR><BR>Less than 1 percent of slaughtered =
cows are=20
currently tested for the </DIV>
<DIV>disease under Agriculture Department guidelines. The agency argues =
that=20
</DIV>
<DIV>more widespread testing does not guarantee food safety and could =
result=20
</DIV>
<DIV>in a false positive that scares consumers.<BR><BR>"They want to =
create=20
false assurances," Justice Department attorney Eric <BR>Flesig-Greene =
told a=20
three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for </DIV>
<DIV>the D.C. Circuit.<BR><BR>But Creekstone attorney Russell Frye =
contended the=20
Agriculture Department's <BR>regulations covering the treatment of =
domestic=20
animals contain no prohibition <BR>against an individual company testing =
for mad=20
cow disease, since the test is <BR>conducted only after a cow is =
slaughtered. He=20
said the agency has no authority <BR>to prevent companies from using the =
test to=20
reassure customers. "This is the <BR>government telling the consumers, =
'You're=20
not entitled to this information,' " <BR>Frye said.<BR><BR>Chief Judge =
David=20
Sentelle seemed to agree with Creekstone's contention that <BR>the =
additional=20
testing would not interfere with agency regulations governing the =
<BR>treatment=20
of animals. "All they want to do is create information," Sentelle said,=20
<BR>noting that it's up to consumers to decide how to interpret the=20
information.<BR><BR>Larger meatpackers have opposed Creekstone's push to =
allow=20
wider testing <BR>out of fear that consumer pressure would force them to =
begin=20
testing all </DIV>
<DIV>animals too. Increased testing would raise the price of meat by a =
few cents=20
</DIV>
<DIV>per pound.<BR><BR>Mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform =
encephalopathy, can=20
be fatal to <BR>humans who eat tainted beef.<BR><BR>The district court's =
ruling=20
last year in favor of Creekstone was supposed </DIV>
<DIV>to take effect June 1, 2007, but the Agriculture Department's =
appeal has=20
</DIV>
<DIV>delayed the testing so far.<BR><BR><A=20
href=3D"http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/biz/5769046.html">ht=
tp://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/biz/5769046.html</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
<BR><BR>'US Violates Global=20
Standards on Preventing Mad Cow Disease</DIV>
<DIV>by Michael Greger, M.D., <BR>Organic Consumers Association</DIV>
<DIV>2004</DIV>
<DIV>....<BR>Every year, an estimated 195,000 to a million cattle =
collapse in=20
the US for <BR>largely unknown reasons and are too sick or injured to =
rise. Even=20
though <BR>these downed animals are not even fit to stand, an =
investigation of=20
USDA <BR>slaughterhouse records showed that most of them are still ruled =
fit=20
enough <BR>for human consumption. Over the past 10 or so years, though, =
the USDA=20
<BR>has tested less than 2% of the downer cattle in United States. And, =
those=20
<BR>tests were almost exclusively limited to animals that were sent to=20
slaughter. <BR>The US tests even fewer of the downer cattle on farms and =
ranches=20
that <BR>never make it to the slaughterhouse, considered the single =
highest risk=20
</DIV>
<DIV>cattle population in the United States. These dead, dying or downed =
cattle=20
</DIV>
<DIV>can still then be fed to other livestock. It’s no wonder that =
Dr. Prusiner=20
</DIV>
<DIV>describes the number of tests done by USDA as =
“appalling.”<BR>....<BR>The=20
surprising new finding linking mad cow disease with classic CJD has =
</DIV>
<DIV>been used to explain the rising numbers of those stricken with the =
classic=20
</DIV>
<DIV>form of CJD in Europe. We don’t see the incidence of this =
fatal disease in=20
</DIV>
<DIV>North America because the disease isn’t tracked here like it =
is in Europe.=20
</DIV>
<DIV>We do know, though, that when researchers have actually gone back =
and=20
</DIV>
<DIV>looked at the brains of presumed Alzheimer’s deaths — =
where Alzheimer’s=20
</DIV>
<DIV>was indicated on the death certificate — anywhere from 3% to =
25% had </DIV>
<DIV>actually died of Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease. According to the CDC, =
</DIV>
<DIV>Alzheimer’s Disease is now the eighth leading cause of death =
in the United=20
</DIV>
<DIV>States, affecting as many as 4 million Americans. Despite the fact =
that an=20
</DIV>
<DIV>unknown number of Americans are already dying from this disease, =
the </DIV>
<DIV>beef industry continues to ignore the evidence. </DIV>
<DIV>............'<BR>http://www.greens.org/s-r/33/33-09.html</DIV></DIV>=
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