November 20, 2006
News
LONDON, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Inspectors in Britain believe widespread fraud at slaughterhouses may be exposing the public to meat contaminated with mad cow disease.
The inspectors accuse slaughterhouses of swapping samples from carcasses to stop them from failing tests to detect bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, The Independent reports.
The practice of swapping was revealed by employees at two British slaughterhouses and a third case is under investigation in Northern Ireland but inspectors believe it is more widespread.
Earlier this Read more
The inspectors accuse slaughterhouses of swapping samples from carcasses to stop them from failing tests to detect bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, The Independent reports.
The practice of swapping was revealed by employees at two British slaughterhouses and a third case is under investigation in Northern Ireland but inspectors believe it is more widespread.
Earlier this Read more
October 4, 2006
News
U.S. beef will likely be distributed in the domestic market soon after the Chusok holidays following the government's decision to resume imports early September.
The primary issue is mad cow disease. In late September, about 1,200 public health-related experts, comprised of 207 medical doctors, 144 oriental medical doctors, 344 pharmacists and 111 veterinarians, issued a warning that U.S. beef is still unsafe to eat.
"Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a disease beyond medical treatment for now," they said in a statement, staging a rally in front of the U.S. Read more
The primary issue is mad cow disease. In late September, about 1,200 public health-related experts, comprised of 207 medical doctors, 144 oriental medical doctors, 344 pharmacists and 111 veterinarians, issued a warning that U.S. beef is still unsafe to eat.
"Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a disease beyond medical treatment for now," they said in a statement, staging a rally in front of the U.S. Read more
September 26, 2006
News
TOKYO -- A cow in northern Japan is suspected of having the country's 29th case of mad cow disease, an official said Tuesday.
Preliminary tests on the animal at the Ishikari Livestock Hygiene Service Center in Hokkaido prefecture on Japan's northernmost main island were positive, said Hokkaido official Hiroyuki Takeuchi. Final test results could be known by the end of this week, he said.
The cow died at a ranch and was brought to the hygiene center for initial testing.
To date, Japan has confirmed 28 animals infected with the fatal illness - known formally as Read more
Preliminary tests on the animal at the Ishikari Livestock Hygiene Service Center in Hokkaido prefecture on Japan's northernmost main island were positive, said Hokkaido official Hiroyuki Takeuchi. Final test results could be known by the end of this week, he said.
The cow died at a ranch and was brought to the hygiene center for initial testing.
To date, Japan has confirmed 28 animals infected with the fatal illness - known formally as Read more
September 13, 2006
News
The Japanese government recently decided to reopen its market to U.S. beef. This decision will help U.S. beef producers and processors expand sales and contribute to U.S. trade, but only if we recognize the barriers we must overcome in order to regain the sales and market share lost when Japan banned U.S. beef in December 2003.
Even though the Japanese have now reopened their market, it will not be an easy task for U.S. cattle ranchers and beef processors to regain all or a significant portion of our lost market share. Resistance to U.S. beef is still widespread in Japan. Even Read more
Even though the Japanese have now reopened their market, it will not be an easy task for U.S. cattle ranchers and beef processors to regain all or a significant portion of our lost market share. Resistance to U.S. beef is still widespread in Japan. Even Read more
News
Mad Sheep The True Story Behind the USDA's War on a Family Farm By Linda Faillace
Contact: Alice Blackmer 703-443-9418 blackmer@chelseagreen.com
A gripping story of one family's fight against the USDA
MAD SHEEP is the long-awaited story of a family farm destroyed by the USDA in its effort to protect beef industry sales from the threat of Mad Cow disease. It is an unforgettable chapter in the latter-day history of the family farm.
Linda Faillace, scientist, farmer, wife, and mother of three tells the harrowing story of corruption, gun-toting Read more
Contact: Alice Blackmer 703-443-9418 blackmer@chelseagreen.com
A gripping story of one family's fight against the USDA
MAD SHEEP is the long-awaited story of a family farm destroyed by the USDA in its effort to protect beef industry sales from the threat of Mad Cow disease. It is an unforgettable chapter in the latter-day history of the family farm.
Linda Faillace, scientist, farmer, wife, and mother of three tells the harrowing story of corruption, gun-toting Read more
News
BlackHillsPortal.com - Deadwood,SD
Mad Cow Disease and Alzheimer's Is there a connection? By Earth Talk
Alzheimer's Research
Dear EarthTalk: Is there a connection between Mad Cow Disease and Alzheimer's?
-- Jon Luongo, Brooklyn, NY
Despite limited evidence, some researchers fear that just such a connection might exist. In his 2004 book, Brain Trust, biochemist Colm Kelleher argues that Mad Cow Disease (also known as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or BSE) has actually been in North American cattle since long before 1993 Read more
Mad Cow Disease and Alzheimer's Is there a connection? By Earth Talk
Alzheimer's Research
Dear EarthTalk: Is there a connection between Mad Cow Disease and Alzheimer's?
-- Jon Luongo, Brooklyn, NY
Despite limited evidence, some researchers fear that just such a connection might exist. In his 2004 book, Brain Trust, biochemist Colm Kelleher argues that Mad Cow Disease (also known as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or BSE) has actually been in North American cattle since long before 1993 Read more
August 25, 2006
News
WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--Even U.S. Department of Agriculture lawyers need a vacation and that's why the department is asking a U.S. district court to delay proceedings in a lawsuit seeking to end the government's ban on private cattle testing for mad-cow disease.
Meat packer Creekstone Farms Premium Beef LLC, the plaintiff, would prefer to avoid any delays, but has agreed not to oppose the time extension USDA is asking for, a company official said.
Joe Meng, a Creekstone vice president, said Thursday, "We'd sure like to move this thing as quickly as we can, but it looks Read more
Meat packer Creekstone Farms Premium Beef LLC, the plaintiff, would prefer to avoid any delays, but has agreed not to oppose the time extension USDA is asking for, a company official said.
Joe Meng, a Creekstone vice president, said Thursday, "We'd sure like to move this thing as quickly as we can, but it looks Read more
August 3, 2006
News
Creekstone Farms, a Kansas beef producer, wants to reassure customers that its cattle are safe to eat by testing them all for mad cow disease. Sounds like a smart business move, but there's one problem: The federal government won't let the company do it. OPPOSING VIEW: Our safeguards are working
The U.S. Department of Agriculture invoking an obscure 1913 law intended to thwart con artists from peddling bogus hog cholera serum to pig farmers is blocking companies from selling the testing kits to Creekstone.
USDA is doing the bidding of large cattle barons afraid that Read more
The U.S. Department of Agriculture invoking an obscure 1913 law intended to thwart con artists from peddling bogus hog cholera serum to pig farmers is blocking companies from selling the testing kits to Creekstone.
USDA is doing the bidding of large cattle barons afraid that Read more
July 28, 2006
News
TOKYO (AP) - Japan announced the resumption of U.S. beef imports Thursday, ending a ban that virtually lasted 2 1/2 years due to concerns about mad cow disease and removing a strain in relations with Washington.
The U.S. ambassador immediately welcomed the move, which reopens Japan's lucrative market to a select list of U.S. meat exporters, saying it resolved an issue of primary importance to the United States.
"We are pleased that Japanese auditors and officials have found our process to be sound, and we are proud that our system is scientifically based and exceeds Read more
The U.S. ambassador immediately welcomed the move, which reopens Japan's lucrative market to a select list of U.S. meat exporters, saying it resolved an issue of primary importance to the United States.
"We are pleased that Japanese auditors and officials have found our process to be sound, and we are proud that our system is scientifically based and exceeds Read more
July 21, 2006
News
The Agriculture Department said yesterday that it would scale back testing for mad cow disease by about 90 percent, saying the number of infected animals was far too low to justify the current level of surveillance.
"It's time that our surveillance efforts reflect what we now know is a very, very low level of B.S.E. in the United States," Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said as he announced the new testing program for the disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
After the disease was found in a Canadian-born dairy cow in Washington in December 2003, the department Read more
"It's time that our surveillance efforts reflect what we now know is a very, very low level of B.S.E. in the United States," Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said as he announced the new testing program for the disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
After the disease was found in a Canadian-born dairy cow in Washington in December 2003, the department Read more
