-----Original Message-----
From: R-CALF USA [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, June 24, 2005 4:19 PM
To: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Subject: Suspect Sample Tests Positive for BSE
Importance: High
R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America
For Immediate Release Contact: Shae Dodson, Communications Coordinator
June 24, 2005 Phone: 406-672-8969; e-mail: [email protected]
Suspect Sample Tests Positive for BSE
(Billings, Mont.) - After two weeks of uncertainty awaiting test results on brain tissue from a cow originally declared free of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in November 2004, and then declared a 'weak positive,' by the agency on June 10, U.S. cattle producers today learned that the animal in question was indeed afflicted by BSE. USDA gave no indication as to whether the infected cow was another imported animal or if it was a domestic animal. USDA said an investigation into the origin of the animal is ongoing.
For reasons still unknown, USDA's Inspector General recently requested tissue samples from all three of last year's questionable cows - samples the agency first announced as 'inconclusive,' and then negative for BSE - be retested. In a news conference this afternoon, USDA officials announced that tests conducted at The Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Weybridge, England, confirmed the BSE-positive results. A recent statement issued by OIG said its investigation into USDA's BSE Surveillance Program will continue, and that a final audit report should be complete by late summer.
"U.S. cattle producers have always done everything possible to make certain their beef is safe, and in the early 1990s, significant and stringent control measures were implemented across the industry to provide safeguards against BSE, should the disease ever be introduced into the domestic cattle herd," said R-CALF USA President and Co-Founder Leo McDonnell. "However, these same producers also look to USDA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to prevent BSE from infecting domestic cattle or posing a risk to consumers."
After today's announcement, R-CALF USA calls on the Bush Administration and Congress to direct these agencies to adopt and enforce additional BSE safeguards including: 1) increased BSE testing; 2) allowing packers the option to voluntarily test for BSE if they choose; 3) strengthening the U.S. feed ban to prohibit the use of blood, poultry litter, and plate waste in feed, as well as prevention of cross-contamination and misfeeding; 4) a continuation of the ban on downer animals; and, 5) continued import restrictions on BSE-affected countries.
"Science says we need to strengthen these protections, and frankly, it's just common sense, so let's take these precautions so that we can continue protecting consumers and our cattle herd," said McDonnell.
"The BSE safeguards already in place here in the U.S. are more stringent than measures any other country has ever implemented prior to having a case of BSE, including Canada," said McDonnell. "Yet, USDA continues to seek to lower our import standards by writing a Final Rule that would allow cattle and additional beef products into the U.S. from Canada, a country that doesn't meet the minimum internationally accepted standards for BSE prevention and control."
Listed below is a comparison of both countries' reaction to BSE, which clearly demonstrates the United States responded much quicker than Canada to implement protections against the disease:
· The U.S. made BSE a reportable disease three years before Canada designated the disease.
· In 1989, the U.S. began prohibiting the importation of ruminants from the United Kingdom (U.K.) because of the BSE crisis there; Canada continued to import ruminants in 1990.
· The U.S. implemented its BSE surveillance program in 1990; Canada did not begin its surveillance program until 1992.
· Canada discovered its first BSE case in 1993, in a cow imported from the U.K. Canada likely rendered 68 cattle imported from the U.K. prior to discovering its first case of BSE. Ten of those cattle were known to originate from BSE-affected farms in the U.K., two of which were known herdmates of the BSE-positive cow discovered in 1993.
· The Harvard Center for Risk Analysis stated that while the U.S. may have rendered 173 cattle imported from the U.K. prior to 1989, "none came from a birth cohort (same birth farm and year) in which a BSE case is known to have developed."
· As of May 31, 2005, the U.S. had tested a total of 433,183 cattle in the population considered to be of highest risk for BSE, and no cases had been found in the domestic cattle herd; Canada has tested only 64,788 cattle in the population considered to be of highest risk for BSE, and four BSE-positive cows have been detected in its domestic herd.
· In 2004, prompted by the Dec. 23, 2003, discovery in Washington state of a BSE-positive cow imported from Canada, the U.S. increased its BSE testing from 20,543 cattle to more than 176,400 animals; in 1994, one year after Canada discovered an imported cow with BSE, Canada decreased its BSE testing from 645 cattle to 426 cattle.
· Even though Canada and the U.S. both implemented feed bans in August 1997, the U.S. had its feed ban in place for more than five years prior to the December 2003 BSE case in a cow imported from Canada; Canada's feed ban, however, was not implemented until almost four years after it discovered BSE in an imported cow.
· Canada has had four cases of BSE in native cattle in the past two years, two of which were announced only days apart, just a few months ago. Of significant concern is the fact that Canada still allows 'downer' cattle into its domestic food supply.
"Just the fact that Canada has had four cases of BSE in native cattle in the past two years suggests the prevalence rate of the disease is higher in Canada than in the United States," noted McDonnell. "All four Canadian BSE cases came from Alberta - the primary source of Canadian exports of cattle and beef to the United States, which suggests there likely are more BSE-infected cattle in Alberta that could be sent to the U.S. if USDA lifts the ban on Canadian imports.
"U.S. beef is still the safest and most wholesome in the world, but if we want other countries to buy our beef, we must demonstrate that we have the appropriate BSE protections in place by raising standards, not lowering them," McDonnell said. "And if other countries want us to buy their beef, they must do the same."
# # #
R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on domestic and international trade and marketing issues. R-CALF USA, a national, non-profit organization, is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA's membership consists primarily of cow-calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and feedlot owners. Its members - over 18,000 strong - are located in 47 states, and the organization has over 60 local and state association affiliates, from both cattle and farm organizations. Various main street businesses are associate members of R-CALF USA. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or, call 406-252-2516.
From: R-CALF USA [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, June 24, 2005 4:19 PM
To: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Subject: Suspect Sample Tests Positive for BSE
Importance: High
R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America
For Immediate Release Contact: Shae Dodson, Communications Coordinator
June 24, 2005 Phone: 406-672-8969; e-mail: [email protected]
Suspect Sample Tests Positive for BSE
(Billings, Mont.) - After two weeks of uncertainty awaiting test results on brain tissue from a cow originally declared free of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in November 2004, and then declared a 'weak positive,' by the agency on June 10, U.S. cattle producers today learned that the animal in question was indeed afflicted by BSE. USDA gave no indication as to whether the infected cow was another imported animal or if it was a domestic animal. USDA said an investigation into the origin of the animal is ongoing.
For reasons still unknown, USDA's Inspector General recently requested tissue samples from all three of last year's questionable cows - samples the agency first announced as 'inconclusive,' and then negative for BSE - be retested. In a news conference this afternoon, USDA officials announced that tests conducted at The Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Weybridge, England, confirmed the BSE-positive results. A recent statement issued by OIG said its investigation into USDA's BSE Surveillance Program will continue, and that a final audit report should be complete by late summer.
"U.S. cattle producers have always done everything possible to make certain their beef is safe, and in the early 1990s, significant and stringent control measures were implemented across the industry to provide safeguards against BSE, should the disease ever be introduced into the domestic cattle herd," said R-CALF USA President and Co-Founder Leo McDonnell. "However, these same producers also look to USDA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to prevent BSE from infecting domestic cattle or posing a risk to consumers."
After today's announcement, R-CALF USA calls on the Bush Administration and Congress to direct these agencies to adopt and enforce additional BSE safeguards including: 1) increased BSE testing; 2) allowing packers the option to voluntarily test for BSE if they choose; 3) strengthening the U.S. feed ban to prohibit the use of blood, poultry litter, and plate waste in feed, as well as prevention of cross-contamination and misfeeding; 4) a continuation of the ban on downer animals; and, 5) continued import restrictions on BSE-affected countries.
"Science says we need to strengthen these protections, and frankly, it's just common sense, so let's take these precautions so that we can continue protecting consumers and our cattle herd," said McDonnell.
"The BSE safeguards already in place here in the U.S. are more stringent than measures any other country has ever implemented prior to having a case of BSE, including Canada," said McDonnell. "Yet, USDA continues to seek to lower our import standards by writing a Final Rule that would allow cattle and additional beef products into the U.S. from Canada, a country that doesn't meet the minimum internationally accepted standards for BSE prevention and control."
Listed below is a comparison of both countries' reaction to BSE, which clearly demonstrates the United States responded much quicker than Canada to implement protections against the disease:
· The U.S. made BSE a reportable disease three years before Canada designated the disease.
· In 1989, the U.S. began prohibiting the importation of ruminants from the United Kingdom (U.K.) because of the BSE crisis there; Canada continued to import ruminants in 1990.
· The U.S. implemented its BSE surveillance program in 1990; Canada did not begin its surveillance program until 1992.
· Canada discovered its first BSE case in 1993, in a cow imported from the U.K. Canada likely rendered 68 cattle imported from the U.K. prior to discovering its first case of BSE. Ten of those cattle were known to originate from BSE-affected farms in the U.K., two of which were known herdmates of the BSE-positive cow discovered in 1993.
· The Harvard Center for Risk Analysis stated that while the U.S. may have rendered 173 cattle imported from the U.K. prior to 1989, "none came from a birth cohort (same birth farm and year) in which a BSE case is known to have developed."
· As of May 31, 2005, the U.S. had tested a total of 433,183 cattle in the population considered to be of highest risk for BSE, and no cases had been found in the domestic cattle herd; Canada has tested only 64,788 cattle in the population considered to be of highest risk for BSE, and four BSE-positive cows have been detected in its domestic herd.
· In 2004, prompted by the Dec. 23, 2003, discovery in Washington state of a BSE-positive cow imported from Canada, the U.S. increased its BSE testing from 20,543 cattle to more than 176,400 animals; in 1994, one year after Canada discovered an imported cow with BSE, Canada decreased its BSE testing from 645 cattle to 426 cattle.
· Even though Canada and the U.S. both implemented feed bans in August 1997, the U.S. had its feed ban in place for more than five years prior to the December 2003 BSE case in a cow imported from Canada; Canada's feed ban, however, was not implemented until almost four years after it discovered BSE in an imported cow.
· Canada has had four cases of BSE in native cattle in the past two years, two of which were announced only days apart, just a few months ago. Of significant concern is the fact that Canada still allows 'downer' cattle into its domestic food supply.
"Just the fact that Canada has had four cases of BSE in native cattle in the past two years suggests the prevalence rate of the disease is higher in Canada than in the United States," noted McDonnell. "All four Canadian BSE cases came from Alberta - the primary source of Canadian exports of cattle and beef to the United States, which suggests there likely are more BSE-infected cattle in Alberta that could be sent to the U.S. if USDA lifts the ban on Canadian imports.
"U.S. beef is still the safest and most wholesome in the world, but if we want other countries to buy our beef, we must demonstrate that we have the appropriate BSE protections in place by raising standards, not lowering them," McDonnell said. "And if other countries want us to buy their beef, they must do the same."
# # #
R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on domestic and international trade and marketing issues. R-CALF USA, a national, non-profit organization, is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA's membership consists primarily of cow-calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and feedlot owners. Its members - over 18,000 strong - are located in 47 states, and the organization has over 60 local and state association affiliates, from both cattle and farm organizations. Various main street businesses are associate members of R-CALF USA. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or, call 406-252-2516.
.... No thank you-- And we haven't had to get government 4D subsidy payments for monitoring our herd health 
