30 Jul 2004
U.S. mad cow testing criticized

It's been obvious to us small farmers for years that the USDA favors large agribusiness - if BSE has done anything for US agriculture it's forced this bias into the limelight.

One quote from a "meat industry" spokesperson in this piece really struck me:

Riley said widespread testing of young and otherwise healthy animals would be unscientific and largely pointless, and allowing private companies to test their own animals would be unprecedented.

What a crock of shit! I monitor my cattle's health every day: "testing" (by eye, ear and nose) for various infections and problems. If I want or need to I can buy all manner of test kits over the counter at my local co-op to help me diagnose nearly any cattle disease - except BSE!

What's unprecendented here is the length to which the corporate ag interests are willing to go to protect their faulty business model, including endangering the health of the American people and the indeed the survival of the beef cattle ranching in the US.

In countless barns, feedlots, slaughterhouses and packing plants around the United States -- the health of cattle has become a hot-button issue.

(link) [CNN]

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