[P_RN]

A couple of months ago the Red Cross sent me away because I had spent time in the UK. I just heard on the radio that MCD's been found in Canada. Is this true?

[angelac1978]

yea, I heard on ABC nightly news that one cow that was slaughtered in January did have mad cow. the lab in england just confirmed it today, and thats when canada went public with it.

A

[MandyInMS]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...dcow_usda_dc_4

[HoJo]

The United States on Tuesday scrambled to ease domestic concerns over mad cow disease, quickly banning Canadian cattle and beef imports after Canada reported its first case in a decade.

After reading that article it brings up a few things that I'd like to point out here. Living on a farm in South Dakota and having a ranch background. A while ago some of you may or may not remember our congressman William J. Janklow who closed the borders of South Dakota to ALL Canadian imports not having the corrects logs for trucking or health paper documentation. He did this WITHOUT federal approval to make a point and to ensure of things EXACTLY like mad-cow disease even hoof and mouth disease which would send South Dakota into an economic depression.

Yet everyday on the way home I see cattle trailers with loads of livestock from Canada headed to beef packing plants in Iowa and Nebraska.

Now why has Congress been so wary of passing Country of Origin Labeling? This would secure our nation's food safety and most important of all security as in physical and financial.

USDA Undersecretary J.B. Penn said the United States would reopen its borders "fairly soon" if no other cattle tested positive.

All the more reason that I like to know EXACTLY where my beef comes from. However most don't have the oppurtunity to buy a steer raise it on their farm take it to a meat locker and KNOW 100% that their food is completely 100% pure AMERICAN beef.

"This incident only serves to underscore the urgent need for the U.S. to dramatically step up its own food safety testing program and be vigilant about checking for mad cow disease in beef," said Michael Hansen, spokesman for Consumers Union, a consumer advocate group.

Yet another point I'd like to bring up here is the fact that there is a new thing that has our nation on edge, that's right BIOTERRORISM. Could you imagine the implicaitons of having madcow disease, and having to voluntarily kill 1000's upon 1000's of cattle not even suitable for human consumption because we don't know how to get rid of the cause of mad-cow disease. Or how about hoof and mouth disease, affecting ALL hoofed animals? Elk, moutain goats, horses, zoo animals (giraffes gazzeles, etc.) antelope, deer.

The U.S. really needs to crack down on its security these days. Not just PEOPLE security which is very importand as well but animal security, because we are talking shutting down an entire NATION here with just one miniscule little thing.

U.S. consumer groups urged the USDA to quickly impose stronger safeguards to ensure mad cow disease did not enter the food supply.

I just hope the U.S. has a plan, Country of Origin Labeling would help national security at all levels.

Thanks for taking the time to listen to me, I know I get a little repetitive sometimes but this is a VERY VERY important issue at hand, I hope others realize that as well.

As for the deal with people traveling to the U.K. South Dakota already has people go through a quarantine if they've been in the U.K. to protect our states cattle.

[fergus51]

Ummm, what makes you think only eating American beef would guarantee that mad cow's disease would never happen in the US?

[Jay-Jay]

So far, all cases of mad cow disease in N. America have been traced to Britain. It is NOT transmitted from cow to cow, but only by cows eating infected meat meal or byproducts. Therefore, banning importation of foreign cows and meat would prevent the disease from becoming established in the States.

[P_RN]

The thing about it is, I don't eat beef. I found out several years back (even before I ever visited the UK) that it does not agree with me. In fact the first trip it seems as if mutton and lamb were under warning because of the Chernobyl accident. I don't eat those either.

[caroladybelle]

Originally posted by Jay-Jay
So far, all cases of mad cow disease in N. America have been traced to Britain. It is NOT transmitted from cow to cow, but only by cows eating infected meat meal or byproducts. Therefore, banning importation of foreign cows and meat would prevent the disease from becoming established in the States.

G-d never intended cows to eat meat meal.

Actually, many organic groups have requested a truth in labeling/restricted labeling bill several times but the meat industry is against it. Organics groups want extra antibiotics, drugs, and beef byproducts (dead cattle/animal renderings) barred from being fed to non-carnivorous animals without extra labeling denoting that treatment. The meat industry wants to continue to contaminate the product with growth hormones, antibiotics and having the animals eat byproducts of dead animals (despite the fact that they are not carnivores) because it is cheaper and increases weight and product to sell.

And then we wonder why CJ Disease occurs.

[adrienurse]

To quote Mr. Van Clief our minister of agriculture -- This is one cow, I REPEAT THIS IS ONE COW.

One cow in Alberta was found to have Mad Cow Disease and was distroyed. That's it.

Lordy, first the SARS was gonna kill us, then West Nile Virus from our abundant mosquito population (maudis marringuins!), now the beef is gonna. Can you say media hysteria?!!!!!

I quote my Dad, "calm down, more people have been killed by flying shovels this year in Winnipeg, you'll be fine".

[fergus51]

But if it isn't spread cow to cow, then what is the harm of importing cows? I realize they need to make sure they are healthy before being slaughtered for food, but it sounds like people are worried that cow would infect the American cows somehow?