Creekstone's questions to USDA

[Anonymous]

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR USDA TO ANSWER

1) What legal grounds (policies/regulations) would prohibit a private industry from performing a Rapid Test method for BSE? If testing young cattle is not a food safety issue, does it fall under APHIS or FDA?
2) Why does the Federal Register prohibit saving of small intestine unless the animal is BSE tested?
3) You have stated that BSE does not occur in cattle under 30 months of age. Why have you prohibited all specified risk materials (SRMS) from all age groups of cattle processed? What is the science behind this decision?
4) How does USDA certify and approve domestic and international sales/production of natural or organic beef products? This would be an implied Consumer Safety Aspect that is not scientifically warranted. You have stated that BSE testing is an "Implied Food Safety Aspect that is not scientifically justified". How does this differ from natural or organic products? If testing is approved, why can't a label state "BSE tested"?
5) How can the USDA justify spending $72,000,000 in taxpayer funds to test 221,000 head of cattle in 12 months ($325/head), when a private company will use the same test method as APHIS to test 300,000 head for $5,400,000 paid for by consumers in 12 months ($18/head)? Also, this private company can fully implement testing in one week, why will it take APHIS five months to fully implement their program? Complete preparation and training took Creekstone Farms one month.
6) Why is the USDA not immediately allowing Canadian cattle under 30 months of age to be sold into the US? If there is any concern, could Creekstone test Canadian cattle?
7) Given the USDA position that BSE testing is not scientifically justified what exactly are the statistical odds and how do you rationalize not giving the people a choice? There have been young cattle (under 30 months) in Japan and England testing positive for BSE.
8) What will be the government's position if a major domestic customer requires packers to do something BSE-related that is not scientifically justified? Will the packer be told he cannot do it?
9) What is the statistical rate of error determining cattle age using dentition?

 

[sw]

WHERE DO YOU GET THE NUMBERS OF $325/ head for the test? Do you have any idea how inacurate dentition is? we have had documented animals with AI date, birth date, and days on feed that were 17 months old put into B maturity by the grader. Explain that to me and then tell me how accurate these graders are. We had cattle going as high as 17 % B maturity when they were all documented as less than 20 months of age.

 

[Jason]

Do you have any idea how inacurate dentition is?


Official figures are 3 per 1000 are identified as over their real age by dentition.

I have heard a couple of these verifyed age things and they were deemed over 30 months... no proof other than a disgruntled seller.

I have slaughtered 29 month old cattle and had them pass and then 30 month old and had them pulled. It has been pretty dang accurate.

Other things that may influence the dentition are hormone injections. They can speed up the appearance of the third incisor, and possibly show older bone.

 

[Sandhusker]

Sure are a lot of questions that I would like to see the USDA answer. :?

By they way, I posted the article. Don't know why I wasn't logged on automatically. Don't want SH to accuse me of hiding behind an alias. :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

You pose lots of good questions. I only have ONE answer and that is for Creekstone. They were in error and made a big mistake. That mistake was not to go ahead with their testing procedures. Gutless, I guess.

 

[Mike]

You pose lots of good questions. I only have ONE answer and that is for Creekstone. They were in error and made a big mistake. That mistake was not to go ahead with their testing procedures. Gutless, I guess.

When the USDA denied them access to testing kits that was the end. You can't test without the tools to do it.