Mad Cow Disease in the U.S.

[Vegnik]

USDA Secretary Mike Johanns met with Japanese leaders on Friday to convince them the U.S. beef supply is safe from Mad Cow Disease. Unfortunately, on Saturday, the day after the meeting, the USDA announced the discovery of another new case of Mad Cow Disease in the U.S. Japan, the top importer of U.S. beef, has recently banned U.S. beef imports, due to concerns over safety of the meat. Despite objections from Japanese and American consumers, the USDA still allows the feeding of blood, slaughterhouse waste, and manure to animals--practices banned in Europe and Japan in order to prevent the spread of the disease. http://www.organicconsumers.org/madcow.htm

[Jim Gagnepain]

Here's the first few paragraphs from the Mad Cow 3/14/06 Alabama case.

"WASHINGTON, DC, March 13, 2006 (ENS) - Mad cow disease has been found in the carcass of a cow from an Alabama farm, the third case of the fatal brain wasting disease to be detected in a U.S. animal.

The diseased cow did not enter the human or animal food chains, said U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) Chief Veterinary Medical Officer John
Clifford in a statement today."

Do you really think the USDA would publicize if the diseased animal did get into the food chain?

[squeak]

It's not the first, and I'm sure it won't be the last. I wonder what kind of destruction it'll take to put in place the changes that should have been made years ago.

[Jim Gagnepain]

It's not the first, and I'm sure it won't be the last. I wonder what kind of destruction it'll take to put in place the changes that should have been made years ago.

That's the question of the day. When the issues start surmounting, watch them all run for cover, in denial, and blaming others.

[bethany17]

I, for one, am glad that I'm a vegan.

[down_to_earth]

I, for one, am glad that I'm a vegan.
I second that.

I remember listeing to an NPR show a few years ago when Mad Cow came to the front of the headlines again. I rember the show detailing some of the the ways cows are treated and fed. While disgusted, I still ate meat for a couple more years. Oops.

Now, I'm going to look into selling my Wendy's stock. I heard on the business report of the local news earlier this week that Wendy's stock has dropped in the light of the Mad Cow report. Wendy's, started in Columbus, and now based in Dublin, is frequently mentioned in the local news. Yeah, I'm definately selling my stock. It's "only" five or six shares, but it's five or six shares I don't want. (My poor dad is going to be upset though, he bought me those stocks when I was in high school.) Eh.

I wonder if ominis will wise up from this or if they will just shrug and go to McD's after hearing the story. I probably did. I remember the first time, five or so years ago, I was worried, too, but I wasn't developed enough (intellectually, emotionally...) for the light bulb to go off. Nor was I a few years ago.

Enough rambling.

Laura

[squeak]

That's the question of the day. When the issues start surmounting, watch them all run for cover, in denial, and blaming others.

Yeah. Seriously, though, I wonder--how many people are going to have to die, slowly and painfully, before the world demands action? It's sickening.

Also, I remember reading about a cat in the UK that became infected, though I don't remember if it was from regular cat food or actual meat. That gives me the creeps every time I feed my cats.