Consumers Union Says New Improved FDA Rules on Mad Cow Don't Go Far Enough

CONSUMERS UNION SAYS NEW FDA RESTRICTIONS ON ANIMAL FEED ARE AN IMPORTANT STEP, BUT ADDITIONAL MEASURES NEEDED

January 26, 2004 new restrictions on animal feed announced today by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). "FDA's new rule will close several of the worst
loopholes in the current feed regulation and will definitely reduce the risk
that mad cow disease could spread in the United States," states Michael
Hansen, Senior Research Associate.

Consumers Union states that the new FDA rule will make it illegal to use
cows blood in milk replacer for calves. "This is an important change since
blood can carry the infectious agent that causes mad cow disease," Hansen
states.

Consumers Union criticizes the FDA, however, for failing to ban the feeding
of all mammalian material to food animals. Hansen says, "FDA needs to go
further to protect public health. It is still perfectly legal under these
new rules to feed cows to pigs and chickens, and chicken and pig material to
cows. Swine have been shown to be capable on contracting mad cow disease in
a laboratory setting. We are worried that swine could be silent carriers of
the disease. FDA should extend its rules to ban all risky refeeding
practices."

FDA says that it is still considering additional measures.

Consumers Union also supports FDA's decision to ban poultry litter in cattle
feed. Poultry litter is material from the floor of a chicken production
facility and includes feces, feathers and uneaten poultry feed that the
birds knock on the floor. "Since poultry feed can be made from cattle
remains, we support FDA's decision to ban the refeeding of poultry litter
back to cattle. This will close off one more route whereby mad cow disease
could circulate among food animals," Hansen says.

To interview an expert call Jean Halloran, Director, Consumers Union
Consumer Policy Institute, at 914-378-2457 (w) or
Michael Hansen, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate, Consumers Union Consumer
Policy Institute, at 914-378-2452 (w).