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Johanns claims downer cattle did not have BSE
Eiji Hirose Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said 29 head of so-called downer cattle slaughtered for human consumption could not walk not because they had mad cow disease, but due to injury or other factors, it was learned Saturday.
According to a report released by the U.S. Agriculture Department on Feb. 2, at least 29 head of downer cattle were slaughtered for human consumption between June 2004 and April 2005. Such cattle are banned for consumption to safeguard consumers from contracting bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the scientific name for mad cow disease.
In his answers to written questions sent from Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shoichi Nakagawa on sloppy supervision of U.S. beef exports to Japan, Johanns said 29 was a very small figure when compared with the millions of cattle slaughtered in that period. This kind of comment appears to show the U.S. government does not take the issue seriously enough.
Though in the case of 20 of the 29 downers, their reasons for being unable to walk were not recorded, Johanns concluded that all the 29 cattle were healthy until they arrived at slaughterhouses, where they suddenly became unable to walk because of injury or other factors. But he gave no clear evidence for his conclusion.
Johanns refrained from replying directly to a question on whether nine meatpackers and slaughterhouses that could not provide documentary proof that they had eliminated specified risk materials (SRM) from their beef include exporters to Japan.
Johanns only said the U.S. government had not found any proof that any SRM entered the food market from the nine facilities.
His statement might further fuel anger of Japanese government and consumers.
(Feb. 19, 2006)
Eiji Hirose Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said 29 head of so-called downer cattle slaughtered for human consumption could not walk not because they had mad cow disease, but due to injury or other factors, it was learned Saturday.
According to a report released by the U.S. Agriculture Department on Feb. 2, at least 29 head of downer cattle were slaughtered for human consumption between June 2004 and April 2005. Such cattle are banned for consumption to safeguard consumers from contracting bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the scientific name for mad cow disease.
In his answers to written questions sent from Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shoichi Nakagawa on sloppy supervision of U.S. beef exports to Japan, Johanns said 29 was a very small figure when compared with the millions of cattle slaughtered in that period. This kind of comment appears to show the U.S. government does not take the issue seriously enough.
Though in the case of 20 of the 29 downers, their reasons for being unable to walk were not recorded, Johanns concluded that all the 29 cattle were healthy until they arrived at slaughterhouses, where they suddenly became unable to walk because of injury or other factors. But he gave no clear evidence for his conclusion.
Johanns refrained from replying directly to a question on whether nine meatpackers and slaughterhouses that could not provide documentary proof that they had eliminated specified risk materials (SRM) from their beef include exporters to Japan.
Johanns only said the U.S. government had not found any proof that any SRM entered the food market from the nine facilities.
His statement might further fuel anger of Japanese government and consumers.
(Feb. 19, 2006)
