Sludge Watch ==> USDA intervenes to prevent more extensive BSE testing in USA

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

The US meatpacker wants to test every animal for BSE, because the meat is 
destined for Japan, where this is the normal practice.

The US Dept of Agriculture litigates to prevent them from testing.

There it is.  The consumer interest is neglected.

Its 'Don't test..Don't find' in the USA.


Absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence.
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Breaking News on Food Processing & Packaging - North America



Private BSE testing on hold following appeal

By George Reynolds

31/05/2007- A federal court ruling allowing a meat processor to conduct its 
own tests for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is on hold following an 
appeal by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

On discovery of the first US case of BSE, Creekstone Farms Premium wanted to 
test all of its cattle that it intended to ship to Japan, with the importers 
agreeing to cover the additional cost.

But the USDA wants to prevent it from doing so. Current BSE testing is only 
conducted by the USDA on about one per cent of all cows slaughtered in the 
country.

Private testing on all cattle exports to Japan could force other processors 
to follow suit, and lead to domestic calls for increased BSE screening of 
meat products.

While, Creekstone claims full testing will assure its customers of the 
safety of its products, the USDA contends that this gives a false sense of 
security because BSE is generally undetectable in younger cattle.

Many large processors in the meat industry are looking on anxiously at the 
case, as it could set a precedent, eventually forcing them to have full 
screening procedures for all the cattle they slaughter.

In March, US District Judge James Robertson ruled in favor of Creekstone 
Farms stating that "prohibition of the private use of rapid test kits to 
screen cattle for bovine spongiform encephalopathy is unlawful."

The ruling was to take effect June, 1 2007, but the USDA said it would 
appeal on Tuesday, which now effectively delays testing until this court 
proceedings are concluded.

A decision in favor of Creekstone would allow the Kansas-based processor to 
test all of its cows for signs of the condition. If the processor's case 
ultimately fails, BSE testing will only be conducted by the USDA, which 
currently tests about one per cent of slaughtered cows.

Dennis Buhlke, president and chief executive officer of Creekstone yesterday 
said the company has taken a lead role in the issue and is not alone in 
believing that the government should not prevent private companies from 
voluntarily testing cattle for BSE.

"Although we are disappointed, we are not surprised by USDA's decision to 
appeal," she said. "In refusing to allow Creekstone Farms to respond to its 
customers' preference for beef from animals that have been tested for BSE, 
the USDA is doggedly pursuing a course that scientists, consumer groups, 
trade associations and business, and members of Congress regard as a bad 
policy."

Officials claim that while Creekstone can manage to test each of the 300,000 
animals it slaughters each year, larger processors handing millions could 
not cope. Allowing Creekstone to test would be unfair competition, the USD 
claims.

"We still hope to convince USDA to work with Creekstone on a voluntary BSE 
testing program," Buhlke said. "However, Creekstone Farms will continue to 
pursue our right to test even in the wake of this latest action by the 
USDA."

Meanwhile, Creekstone said it has built, with the advice of BSE-testing 
experts, a state-of-the-art laboratory, which is ready for operations at its 
Arkansas plant.

Last month, Japan eased inspection requirements on shipments of US beef 
imports into the country, which had been in operation following the 
discovery of BSE in 2003.

Prior to 2003, the Japanese export market was one of the US's largest, 
valued at $1.4 billion a year, according to the US Meat Eport Federation 
(USMEF).

Since the first discovery of the disease in the UK during 1986, some 190,000 
cases have been reported worldwide, according to World Organisation for 
Animal Health (OIE) statistics.

Of the countries affected by the disease, the US ranks low, with only two 
confirmed cases up to 2006, according to OIE, which recently lowered the 
country's BSE status to "controlled risk."

Scientists believe that the human illness, Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease 
(vCJD) - recognised in 1996 - is caused by the consumption of BSE-infected 
meat. About 160 people are thought to have died of the condition worldwide.

P