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Judge allows private testing for BSE, PRICE OF POKER GOES UP

flounder

Well-known member
Subject: Judge allows private testing for mad cow
Date: March 29, 2007 at 4:48 pm PST

Political news

Protesters wearing cow costumes symbolizing imported U.S. beef containing mad cow disease participate in a rally against a free trade agreement with the United States in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 26, 2007. South Korea warned Monday a potential free trade agreement with the United States could fail if Washington pushes to include rice in the deal. (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man)
LEE JIN-MAN: AP



March 29, 2007, 6:13PM
Judge allows private testing for mad cow


By MATT APUZZO Associated Press Writers
© 2007 The Associated Press


WASHINGTON — The federal government must allow meatpackers to test their animals for mad cow disease, a federal judge ruled Thursday.

Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, a meatpacker based in Arkansas City, Kan., wants to test all of its cows for the disease, which can be fatal to humans who eat tainted beef. Larger meat companies feared that move because if Creekstone tested its meat and advertised it as safe, they could be forced to do the expensive test, too.

The Agriculture Department currently regulates the test and administers it to fewer than 1 percent of slaughtered cows for the disease. The department threatened Creekstone with prosecution if it tested all its animals.

U.S. District Judge James Robertson ruled that the government does not have the authority to regulate the test. Robertson put his order on hold until the government can appeal. If the government does not appeal by June 1, he said the ruling would take effect.

Mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, is linked to more than 150 human deaths worldwide, mostly in Britain.

There have been three cases of mad cow disease in the U.S. The first, in December 2003 in Washington state, was in a cow that had been imported from Canada. The second, in 2005, was in a Texas-born cow. The third was confirmed last year in an Alabama cow.

After the first case of mad cow disease heightened concern about the disease, the department increased its testing for the disease to about 1,000 tests each day.

Last July, the department cut its testing by about 90 percent. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said testing should reflect "a very, very low level" of the disease in the United States. Neither the department nor Creekstone immediately responded to a request for comment Thursday evening.

The Agriculture Department argued that widespread testing could lead to a false positive that would harm the meat industry. Robertson said he was concerned by that possibility but noted that Creekstone sought to use the same test the government relies on.

Tests are done on brain tissue from cows, so animals must be killed before they can be tested. Because of this, Robertson rejected the government's stance that it has the authority to regulate the tests because they are used in the treatment of disease.

He said regulation of the tests might be appropriate through the Federal Trade Commission or the Commerce Department but, as the law is written now, the authority does not exist.


http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/4673300.html




Creekstone Farms Premium Beef Files Lawsuit Challenging USDA’s Ban on Voluntary BSE Testing
Washington D.C. (March 2006)— Washington - Creekstone Farms ® Premium Beef, LLC, an innovative market leader producing award winning Black Angus Beef, filed a lawsuit today against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). ). Creekstone has sued USDA for refusing to allow the company to voluntarily test cattle for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) at ...


http://www.creekstonefarmspremiumbeef.com/news_bse_press.html



TSS
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Even if USDA does not appeal- watch the rules that USDA will stick on the testing-- make a $20 test cost hundreds of $ to do...The same thing they are trying with M-COOL...

When will this administration wake up, get off its arrogant "let the Big Corporates rule the country" attitude, and remember we are supposed to be living in a liberal democracy and follow the wishes of the majority of the populace... :roll: :( :(
 

flounder

Well-known member
i question one of several things, one, are we going to know if say, hypothetically speaking, say, you have a bad week, is the average joe blow going to know if you had 6 or 7 confirmed mad cows, if so, how will usda handle this, and will creekstone report it ???

and will this 100% bse testing be for the export market only, or will this be blanket 100% bse testing for homegrown beef for usa consumer, as well as japan and the rest of the world ???

whom regulate testing and validates test, and says which one of the many test will they use ???


just a few of many questions confusious has. ...tss
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
What blanket testing, Terry? That seems to be a misconception on this that keeps coming up - that everybody has to test. NOBODY has to test a single animal! It's an option!

This is great news! It's a damn shame you have to take the government to court to make them do their jobs, but score one for the little guy!
 

Kato

Well-known member
It's a good thing to let them test, but everyone should also remember that even though it's an outside chance, since I presume they are testing young animals, that if they start to find positives, the pressure is on. :shock:

It'll be a whole different ball game then.
 

flounder

Well-known member
Sandhusker said:
What blanket testing, Terry? That seems to be a misconception on this that keeps coming up - that everybody has to test. NOBODY has to test a single animal! It's an option!

This is great news! It's a damn shame you have to take the government to court to make them do their jobs, but score one for the little guy!



you answered my question, with a question. that's no answer sandhusker.
no misconseption here, if all cards are not on top of the table, deals off.
you can sh!t the consumer some of the time, but not all the time.
i agree though, great news, IF, everything is above board, and this is not just for export only. i (as a consumer), want to know every positive BSE test you have, and on a timely manner. again, will this happen ???
what testing will they use, and whom validates what ??? if this is gonna be some scenerio where we have to take purina's word for it, or some other conglomorant, then no dice. does not hold water..............tss


tss
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
The Agriculture Department argued that widespread testing could lead to a false positive that would harm the meat industry. Robertson said he was concerned by that possibility but noted that Creekstone sought to use the same test the government relies on.

Tests are done on brain tissue from cows, so animals must be killed before they can be tested. Because of this, Robertson rejected the government's stance that it has the authority to regulate the tests because they are used in the treatment of disease.

He said regulation of the tests might be appropriate through the Federal Trade Commission or the Commerce Department but, as the law is written now, the authority does not exist.

Looks to me like the Judge took a good look at the issues- be nice if it actually will stand and USDA gets took down a notch or two...Would really bend their noses if the authority on anything about meat was given to the FTC or Commerce...I can't see the present Congress writing any new law giving USDA more authority....
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
flounder said:
Sandhusker said:
What blanket testing, Terry? That seems to be a misconception on this that keeps coming up - that everybody has to test. NOBODY has to test a single animal! It's an option!

This is great news! It's a damn shame you have to take the government to court to make them do their jobs, but score one for the little guy!



you answered my question, with a question. that's no answer sandhusker.
no misconseption here, if all cards are not on top of the table, deals off.
you can sh!t the consumer some of the time, but not all the time.
i agree though, great news, IF, everything is above board, and this is not just for export only. i (as a consumer), want to know every positive BSE test you have, and on a timely manner. again, will this happen ???
what testing will they use, and whom validates what ??? if this is gonna be some scenerio where we have to take purina's word for it, or some other conglomorant, then no dice. does not hold water..............tss


tss

Are you trying to hold private BSE testing to a higher standard than, say, private ecoli testing? Consumers aren't informed on every positive, who tested it, who validated it etc....
 

mrj

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
Even if USDA does not appeal- watch the rules that USDA will stick on the testing-- make a $20 test cost hundreds of $ to do...The same thing they are trying with M-COOL...

When will this administration wake up, get off its arrogant "let the Big Corporates rule the country" attitude, and remember we are supposed to be living in a liberal democracy and follow the wishes of the majority of the populace... :roll: :( :([/quote

When did we give up our precious democratic republic form of government for your "liberal democracy", OT?

BTW, what happened to the Internationally accepted and science supported premise that removing SRMs protects consumers from BSE?

Does anyone honestly believe people will NOT demand that ALL beef be tested for BSE, regardless of the validity and accuracy of the testing, if Creekstone is allowed to test beef for export?

MRJ
 

PORKER

Well-known member
U.S. District Judge James Robertson ruled that the government does not have the authority to regulate the test. Everyone knew this except SH

Robertson put his order on hold until the government can appeal.They Are bailing off the sinking ship

If the government does not appeal by June 1, he said the ruling would take effect. Watch the money from the big boys. I'll flow like water .

DeHaven is out ,WHO"S NEXT???????????????

Good for Beef and its good for the consumers of the world! Thanks Creekstone

Yes to BSE testing It all started with (No test No SALE ) Raise a beer to him!!!
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
MRJ, "BTW, what happened to the Internationally accepted and science supported premise that removing SRMs protects consumers from BSE?"

BTW, what happened to letting the person writing the check decide what is safe for them and their families? I don't trust the "Trade-isTrump" establishment.

MRJ, "Does anyone honestly believe people will NOT demand that ALL beef be tested for BSE, regardless of the validity and accuracy of the testing, if Creekstone is allowed to test beef for export?"

First of all, THAT'S HOW A FREE MARKET WORKS, MRJ! Secondly, the idea that everybody will demand BSE testing is rediculous! Has everybody demanded hormone free? Has everbody demanded "natural"? NO! So why the heck would they demand tested! Consumers will have a choice; untested beef @ x.xx lb. and tested @ x.xx + .xx/lb. SAME AS WITH NATURAL.

The folks with a financial interest in not allowing testing have fed you a line of crap and you bought it without asking yourself if it made any sense or without looking for examples that would fit.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
MRJ said:
Oldtimer said:
Even if USDA does not appeal- watch the rules that USDA will stick on the testing-- make a $20 test cost hundreds of $ to do...The same thing they are trying with M-COOL...

When will this administration wake up, get off its arrogant "let the Big Corporates rule the country" attitude, and remember we are supposed to be living in a liberal democracy and follow the wishes of the majority of the populace... :roll: :( :([/quote

When did we give up our precious democratic republic form of government for your "liberal democracy", OT?

MRJ- Our form of government is a liberal democracy...It isn't described that way much anymore because it causes some uneducated folks to wet their pants...
A constitutional republic is a form of liberal democracy, but not all liberal democracies are constitutional republics.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_republic
--------------------------------------

BTW, what happened to the Internationally accepted and science supported premise that removing SRMs protects consumers from BSE?

Problem is their really is no Internationally accepted standards or science...OIE is a joke- as most of the countries of the world still have their own differing standards for testing, age of testing, what constitutes SRM's, etc. etc...Go read the rules for the different EU countries- for the different Asian countries- Russia's...All differ...

What USDA was trying to call "sound science" is changing daily and several of the new discoveries are not backing their decisions or earlier beliefs-- such as that their are different strains of BSE, the possible discovery of a tiny virus in the BSE prion, the finding of BSE in cattle UTM (under thirty months) as young as 20 months old, the finding of prions in areas other than SRM's, the findings that atypical BSE may be spread by contact or some other means much the same as it is believed that CWD is, etc. etc.

Just too many unknowns.....Reason USDA no longer uses the term"sound science"..


-------------------
Does anyone honestly believe people will NOT demand that ALL beef be tested for BSE, regardless of the validity and accuracy of the testing, if Creekstone is allowed to test beef for export?



Whats wrong with that if people that weren't buying/eating beef start eating that?...We should give the consumers more of what they want, rather than dictating to them what they have to eat...What happened to your beliefs that we should be a Constitutional Republic :???: :wink: :lol:

MRJ
 

Econ101

Well-known member
MRJ said:
Oldtimer said:
Even if USDA does not appeal- watch the rules that USDA will stick on the testing-- make a $20 test cost hundreds of $ to do...The same thing they are trying with M-COOL...

When will this administration wake up, get off its arrogant "let the Big Corporates rule the country" attitude, and remember we are supposed to be living in a liberal democracy and follow the wishes of the majority of the populace... :roll: :( :([/quote

When did we give up our precious democratic republic form of government for your "liberal democracy", OT?

BTW, what happened to the Internationally accepted and science supported premise that removing SRMs protects consumers from BSE?

Does anyone honestly believe people will NOT demand that ALL beef be tested for BSE, regardless of the validity and accuracy of the testing, if Creekstone is allowed to test beef for export?

MRJ

MRJ: "BTW, what happened to the Internationally accepted and science supported premise that removing SRMs protects consumers from BSE?"

MRJ, you bought a load of crap again.

When you see a market for all the beef that tested positive for BSE in England where the SRMs have been taken out, you might be on to something.

There isn't any such market and it has NEVER been Internationally accepted.

It was just an idea thrown out there for those who refused to think.
 

Tam

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
MRJ said:
Oldtimer said:
Even if USDA does not appeal- watch the rules that USDA will stick on the testing-- make a $20 test cost hundreds of $ to do...The same thing they are trying with M-COOL...

When will this administration wake up, get off its arrogant "let the Big Corporates rule the country" attitude, and remember we are supposed to be living in a liberal democracy and follow the wishes of the majority of the populace... :roll: :( :([/quote

When did we give up our precious democratic republic form of government for your "liberal democracy", OT?

MRJ- Our form of government is a liberal democracy...It isn't described that way much anymore because it causes some uneducated folks to wet their pants...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_republic
--------------------------------------

BTW, what happened to the Internationally accepted and science supported premise that removing SRMs protects consumers from BSE?

Problem is their really is no Internationally accepted standards or science...OIE is a joke- as most of the countries of the world still have their own differing standards for testing, age of testing, what constitutes SRM's, etc. etc...Go read the rules for the different EU countries- for the different Asian countries- Russia's...All differ...

What USDA was trying to call "sound science" is changing daily and several of the new discoveries are not backing their decisions or earlier beliefs-- such as that their are different strains of BSE, the possible discovery of a tiny virus in the BSE prion, the finding of BSE in cattle UTM (under thirty months) as young as 20 months old, the finding of prions in areas other than SRM's, the findings that atypical BSE may be spread by contact or some other means much the same as it is believed that CWD is, etc. etc.

Just too many unknowns.....Reason USDA no longer uses the term"sound science"..


-------------------
Does anyone honestly believe people will NOT demand that ALL beef be tested for BSE, regardless of the validity and accuracy of the testing, if Creekstone is allowed to test beef for export?



Whats wrong with that if people that weren't buying/eating beef start eating that?...We should give the consumers more of what they want, rather than dictating to them what they have to eat...What happened to your beliefs that we should be a Constitutional Republic :???: :wink: :lol:

MRJ

the findings that atypical BSE may be spread by contact

If Atypical BSE can be spread by simple contact then
Wouldn't it be even more important to have a complete NATIONAL ID SYSTEM WITH TRACING CAPABILITIES IN THE US NOW ? :?
How many other cattle did the Texas and Alabama Atypical cows come into contact with in their long lives that could be walking around spreading it? :shock:
And why hasn't the USDA enhanced surveillance found them? :???:

With so many unknowns Oldtimer how dare you sell any beef in the US as a ATYPICAL BSE affected country. :shock:
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Yep- I agree Tam- Just too many unknowns about BSE to be weakening any of our barriers or dropping any quarantines just for the benefit of the Multinationals pocketbooks...Thats the reason I wanted to see USDA have to explain this all in court to a Judger of fact.....
 

RobertMac

Well-known member
flounder said:
i question one of several things, one, are we going to know if say, hypothetically speaking, say, you have a bad week, is the average joe blow going to know if you had 6 or 7 confirmed mad cows, if so, how will usda handle this, and will creekstone report it ???

and will this 100% bse testing be for the export market only, or will this be blanket 100% bse testing for homegrown beef for usa consumer, as well as japan and the rest of the world ???

whom regulate testing and validates test, and says which one of the many test will they use ???


just a few of many questions confusious has. ...tss

Testing should be private lab with over sight by FSIS or FDA. The test should be the most up to date or those required by the consumer(Japan). Positives should be retested by USDA/OIE labs.

The amount of testing and for whom should be determined by the free market and will largely depend on the number of positive found, if any. The only way the industry will get out from under this BSE cloud is to take it head on with testing and research!
 
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