Feds: Mad Cow Never Entered Food Chain

[DustMolecule]

WASHINGTON (AP) - An initial test of one animal has failed to rule out mad cow disease, but people who eat U.S. beef should not be alarmed because the animal never entered the food chain, agriculture officials say.

The Agriculture Department said the result was "inconclusive" for the brain-wasting disease. The carcass was being sent to the USDA National Veterinary Laboratory in Ames, Iowa; results were expected in four days to seven days.

"No matter how the confirmatory testing comes back, USDA remains confident in the safety of the U.S. beef supply," John Clifford, deputy administrator of USDA veterinary services, said in announcing the finding late Friday. "This animal did not enter the human food chain or feed chain."

Clifford declined to identify the animal or its location until testing is complete. It is "very likely" final testing could turn up negative, he said.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040626/D83EPAV00.html

[Coventina]

1. Isn't that what they said LAST time?

And then it turned out that it had?

Why won't they disclose the location?

I'll answer my own question: They don't want people to try to protect themselves by not purchasing beef in that area.

What scumbags.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Baloney. (Come to think of it, I expect balogna could indeed have mad cow

in it. Who knows what they put in that stuff?)

[Don_G]

3. That Particular One Maybe

But the USDA still refuses some ranchers permission to check all their cattle heading to the market for "political" reasons.

Basic survival doesn't seem like a good enough reason anymore.

[DustMolecule]

4. More proof of what they're REALLY afraid of

Bill Bullard, chief executive officer of R-CALF USA, a cattlemen's group, urged calm in the live cattle markets, which dropped 20 percent after U.S. officials reported the first mad cow case in December.

Smart people are staying away from beef already. They don't want more folks to 'catch on'. The industry should be responsible and test EVERY COW!

[Hoping4Change]

5. "Mad Cow USA" An excellent book about utter neglience

in the US which tests something like 1% of its cattle. And its fantasy to believe that cows aren't still being fed feed with animal by-products.

This book is really a must read.