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MAD COW UPDATES

What is the status of negotiations with Japan regarding opening up imports for American beef?

From FSNet listserv:

Government officials were cited as saying Wednesday that Japan has rejected arguments in a U.S. trade report that testing of all slaughtered cattle is not necessary to protect against mad cow disease, and will retain its ban on imports of U.S. beef until such testing is done.

And crticism of the USDA continues regarding a Kentucky company's proposal to test 100% of their cattle for BSE.

- Records contradict USDA's mad cow decision |link|

which contained this incorrect statement by Alisa Harrison USDA spokesmodel:

USDA spokeswoman Alisa Harrison told UPI the agency's rationale for prohibiting Creekstone from testing younger animals is "the scientific evidence is there that you can't find it (mad cow disease) in animals under 30 months."

Wrong!! BSE has been rarely found in animals under 30 months of age, not never. Additionally, we do not know the infective dose of BSE prions needed to cause disease. BSE may amplify over time until it can be detected by the available tests.