Sludge Watch ==> Scary news: US suspended new brain sampling procedure for BSE - more limited testing

[Maureen Reilly]

U.S. suspends BSE collection procedures
29.aug.06
Meat Processing
MeatNews

http://meatnews.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Article&artNum=12254
UNITED STATES: USDA has suspended its new cattle brain collection procedure that mandates collection of samples from cattle condemned for reasons other than CNS diseases.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has suspended its recently issued guidelines for the collection of bovine brain samples. Brain sample collection is part of USDA's enhanced surveillance program for the detection of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
On August 23, 2006, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued Notice 51-06 "Sample Collection from Cattle Under the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Ongoing Surveillance Program," which described new collection procedures for brain tissue of cattle presented for slaughter.
According to the new procedures, FSIS personnel would no longer collect brain samples for all ante-mortem condemned cattle. Instead, they would collect brain samples from:

All establishments with any cattle of any age that FSIS condemns on ante-mortem due to signs of central nervous system disease, including rabies-negative cases from public health laboratories, and
Selected establishments with cattle 30 months of age or older that FSIS condemns at ante-mortem for conditions other than central nervous system disease.

USDA developed a sample allocation tool for use at selected official establishments where BSE sample collection will occur. The allocation tool assigns a certain number of samples to a particular establishment for a particular week.
The new brain sample collection procedures were scheduled to go into effect on August 27, 2006. However, USDA ruled: "Until further notice, FSIS inspection program personnel will not collect brain samples under the provisions of Paragraph II. A. of FSIS Notice 51-06 except as follows: For cattle of any age that are condemned on ante-mortem for central nervous system disease, the FSIS public health veterinarian (PHV) is to identify the animal with a "U.S. Condemned" tag, ensure that it is humanely euthanized, and not allow it to move off the premises of the establishment. Then, the PHV is to contact the area veterinarian-in-charge (AVIC) so the AVIC can collect the brain sample."
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