August 2, 2006
More Time Needed to Comment on
Latest Harvard BSE Risk Assessment
(Billings, Mont.) – R-CALF USA submitted on Tuesday a formal request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to extend the time period for public comments on the most recent Harvard Risk Assessment on bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as Docket Number FSIS-2006-0011.
The latest Harvard report was made available to the public on July 12, 2006. In Washington, D.C., on July 25, USDA conducted a three-hour technical briefing on this report, but the event was not broadcast live via the Internet, nor did USDA provide the opportunity for the public to listen to the session via conference call. An FSIS spokeswoman said the transcript of the event would not appear on USDA’s website for about three to four weeks after the event. Currently, written comments on the report are due Aug. 11, 2006.
“We had a representative at the briefing on July 25th, but the presenters gave technical details too numerous to capture in notes,” said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard. “Plus, USDA has had this latest Harvard risk assessment since October – more than seven months – but is giving the public only 30 days to comment on this very complex set of documents.
“That’s just insufficient time to evaluate the new assumptions and analyses in the revised Harvard Risk Assessment, which is the primary basis for USDA’s conclusion that the U.S. cattle herd and U.S. consumers are not exposed to unacceptable risks from importing cattle and beef from Canada,” Bullard continued. “We are requesting comments be due no earlier than 45 days from the date USDA posts the transcript of the July 25 technical briefing, and we’ve asked USDA to notify us as soon as possible whether the agency will accommodate our request.”
Note: To view the letter to USDA, visit the “BSE-Litigation” link at www.r-calfusa.com
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R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) is a national, non-profit organization and is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on both domestic and international trade and marketing issues. Members are located across 47 states and are primarily cow/calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and/or feedlot owners. R-CALF USA has more than 60 affiliate organizations and various main-street businesses are associate members. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or, call 406-252-2516.