Consumers shrug off mad cow safety fears
Government critics step up campaign, but who's listening?
Four months ago, on Dec. 23, the first U.S. case of mad cow disease appeared. The American beef industry had always feared that day, but beef producers and the government were prepared.
Officials snapped into action, swearing to the safety of U.S. beef. I plan to serve beef for my Christmas dinner, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said.
A flood of studies and statistics were cited, showing how comprehensive U.S. testing had been, how the country had been prepared, how the system worked. And perhaps most important: It was only one cow.
For the most part, consumers listened. Some shoppers turned away from beef, and specialty options like organic beef are selling strong. But overall demand for beef remains strong, with prices high enough that major packers are making money. The fears of financial ruin haven't materialized.
The same can't be said about the export market for American beef. Japan and other buyers of American beef are not convinced enough has been done to ensure the safety of U.S. meat. Exports are projected fall 83 percent. And a collection of consumer and health organizations - along with some small beef producers - are slamming USDA for its handling of mad cow.
It becomes clearer and clearer to us that USDA and big business are in bed together, says Jack Pannell of the Government Accountability Project, which protects whistleblowers. The project represented Tom Ellestad, who manages the Moses Lake, Wash., plant where the lone infected cow was found.
Dissent from the industry
Both the USDA and major beef producers have insisted all along their mad cow response was based on good science. After the case was announced, the USDA quickly revealed its finding that the ailing Holstein was a downer and couldnt walk on its own. It quickly banned downer cattle from human consumption, a move long lobbied for by food and animal-health activists.
Then Ellestad - as well as one of his former employees, Dave Louthan -- came forward to dispute the USDAs key contention. The diseased cow could walk, they argued. It had seemed healthy. Since testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, as mad cow disease is formally known, had focused (and will continue to focus) on ailing cattle, Ellestad argued it was a total fluke the sick cow had been tested.
Read Me!
Government critics step up campaign, but who's listening?
Four months ago, on Dec. 23, the first U.S. case of mad cow disease appeared. The American beef industry had always feared that day, but beef producers and the government were prepared.
Officials snapped into action, swearing to the safety of U.S. beef. I plan to serve beef for my Christmas dinner, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said.
A flood of studies and statistics were cited, showing how comprehensive U.S. testing had been, how the country had been prepared, how the system worked. And perhaps most important: It was only one cow.
For the most part, consumers listened. Some shoppers turned away from beef, and specialty options like organic beef are selling strong. But overall demand for beef remains strong, with prices high enough that major packers are making money. The fears of financial ruin haven't materialized.
The same can't be said about the export market for American beef. Japan and other buyers of American beef are not convinced enough has been done to ensure the safety of U.S. meat. Exports are projected fall 83 percent. And a collection of consumer and health organizations - along with some small beef producers - are slamming USDA for its handling of mad cow.
It becomes clearer and clearer to us that USDA and big business are in bed together, says Jack Pannell of the Government Accountability Project, which protects whistleblowers. The project represented Tom Ellestad, who manages the Moses Lake, Wash., plant where the lone infected cow was found.
Dissent from the industry
Both the USDA and major beef producers have insisted all along their mad cow response was based on good science. After the case was announced, the USDA quickly revealed its finding that the ailing Holstein was a downer and couldnt walk on its own. It quickly banned downer cattle from human consumption, a move long lobbied for by food and animal-health activists.
Then Ellestad - as well as one of his former employees, Dave Louthan -- came forward to dispute the USDAs key contention. The diseased cow could walk, they argued. It had seemed healthy. Since testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, as mad cow disease is formally known, had focused (and will continue to focus) on ailing cattle, Ellestad argued it was a total fluke the sick cow had been tested.
Read Me!
I eat chicken! hehehe...