What the F: Government rejects mad cow testing?

[iwearnosox]

Link.

They voluntarily want to test for mad cow and the government says no?

That's it, I'm going to Canada. Oh, wait...

 

[SaturnX]

Bahahahaha... I'm sorry but that's ridiculous, and then it'll all turn around and then you guys will blame Canada for all and every case of mad cow, because you know, American cows are immune..

Seriously though, that's just messed rejecting mad cow testing only puts people's lives in danger

--Mark

 

[jhu]

my gf and i have stopped eating beef since last year. good riddance.

 

[flxnimprtmscl]

Interesting. Now the USDA is actively working to put American citizens in harms way, as well as hurt a portion of our economy. Your government, hard at work for you.

 

[GasX]

nothing like some knee jerk moralism to get in the way of being practical...

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Notice it says private testing. Edit your topic.

 

[iwearnosox]

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis
Notice it says private testing. Edit your topic.

No.

 

[ReiAyanami]

Just goes to show you how much the USDA belongs to special interests now. or as political textbooks would call it a "captured agency"

although what they did to the EPA is even worse.

 

Canada doesn't want you.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: ReiAyanami
Just goes to show you how much the USDA belongs to special interests now. or as political textbooks would call it a "captured agency"

although what they did to the EPA is even worse.

No this is a good thing. Hopefully it gives them lots of bad press and Americans realize that they aren't part of the democracy anymore.

 

[Stratum9]

Originally posted by: jhu
my gf and i have stopped eating beef since last year. good riddance.

Same goes for my family.

"Where's the beef?" Surely not in my home.

 

[iwearnosox]

Originally posted by: Stratum9

Originally posted by: jhu
my gf and i have stopped eating beef since last year. good riddance.

Same goes for my family.

"Where's the beef?" Surely not in my home.

Yet American beef consumption has never been better. You're obviously in the minority.

This scares the crap out of me but I had a steak yesterday.

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis
Notice it says private testing. Edit your topic.

I'd like to second this notice. As the article points out, there are concerns about the testing methodology of private companies, not to mention any possible conflicts of interest(i.e. here's a big check, now pass our cows). This isn't to say that there aren't any ulterior motives, but on the surface, they have a valid reason.

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: jhu
my gf and i have stopped eating beef since last year. good riddance.

Good. More for us.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: jhu
my gf and i have stopped eating beef since last year. good riddance.

Amazing the fear one little incident will cause someone.

 

[FleshLight]

How many cases of mad cow have been reported? I believe less than 10.

How many meat eaters are there?

 

[Atrail]

I think Japan and many of the other countries that are boycotting want every cow tested...

 

[fitzhue]

Originally posted by: FleshLight
How many cases of mad cow have been reported? I believe less than 10.

How many meat eaters are there?

are you talking about in the US or worldwide? ever hear of the mad cow scare in Europe some time ago? i'm not saying its widespread but its certainly more than 10.

 

[OverVolt]

we have to test more cows so no one is in danger of consuming BSE. Pretty sure it takes 3years for symptoms to show, so potentially there could be an ongoing outbreak and no one would know for 3years...

 

[Effen]

The japanese are being rediculous. Its just an excuse to block a foreign import. We started importing Chickens from China on their word that they had the 'bird flu' under control (not eradicated but under control).

If do this to make them happy, we'll have to do something else later. Next thing you know the price of beef makes it impossible to export.

This is really a free trade issue and not a safety issue. If there were several cows found and outstanding questions about others we might want to do some kind of testing. Right now the case of mad cow was traced to its origin.

 

[AsianriceX]

Just throwing some information out there, check out this Mad Cow Disease(BSE) faq.

Text

It explains current USA safeguards towards BSE and when they started testing(1990).

I see no reason for them to do 100% testing if the details in the faq are correct.

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: Sifl

Originally posted by: Stratum9

Originally posted by: jhu
my gf and i have stopped eating beef since last year. good riddance.

Same goes for my family.

"Where's the beef?" Surely not in my home.

Yet American beef consumption has never been better. You're obviously in the minority.

This scares the crap out of me but I had a steak yesterday.

Canadian beef consumption is up 30%.

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: Effen
The japanese are being rediculous. Its just an excuse to block a foreign import. We started importing Chickens from China on their word that they had the 'bird flu' under control (not eradicated but under control).

If do this to make them happy, we'll have to do something else later. Next thing you know the price of beef makes it impossible to export.

This is really a free trade issue and not a safety issue. If there were several cows found and outstanding questions about others we might want to do some kind of testing. Right now the case of mad cow was traced to its origin.

Considering imports take up 50% of the beef market in Japan (of which US is the majority, Australia and New Zealand are second), I don't think it has that much to do with trade as much as safety concerns (however founded or unfounded they may be). Yoshinoya which is one of the largest beef bowl chains in Japan, they also have stores in CA and NYC, relies 100% on imported beef, 80-90% of which used to come from the US.

Companies are now starting to turn to New Zealand to try to augment dwindling stocks, two of the biggest meat companies in Japan announced that they are increasing imports from them 20-50%, if the US doesn't get it's act together soon there may be no more market to go back too. Wholesale beef prices are up 40% too.

 

[Turin39789]

100% testing is a waste of money, and again, there would be definite concerns over validity if it gets farmed out to the lowest bidder

 

[Dragnov]

Originally posted by: kami333

Originally posted by: Effen
The japanese are being rediculous. Its just an excuse to block a foreign import. We started importing Chickens from China on their word that they had the 'bird flu' under control (not eradicated but under control).

If do this to make them happy, we'll have to do something else later. Next thing you know the price of beef makes it impossible to export.

This is really a free trade issue and not a safety issue. If there were several cows found and outstanding questions about others we might want to do some kind of testing. Right now the case of mad cow was traced to its origin.

Considering imports take up 50% of the beef market in Japan (of which US is the majority, Australia and New Zealand are second), I don't think it has that much to do with trade as much as safety concerns (however founded or unfounded they may be). Yoshinoya which is one of the largest beef bowl chains in Japan, they also have stores in CA and NYC, relies 100% on imported beef, 80-90% of which used to come from the US.

Companies are now starting to turn to New Zealand to try to augment dwindling stocks, two of the biggest meat companies in Japan announced that they are increasing imports from them 20-50%, if the US doesn't get it's act together soon there may be no more market to go back too. Wholesale beef prices are up 40% too.

It does have to do primarily with trade. "Safety concerns" are primarily jsut good excuses to place limits on free trade and give the domestic market a little boost. And I don't blame them, the USA does and will do the same exact thing when the occasion arises.

And you guys who are holding off eating meat anymore now, you guys need to educate yourselves more on this issue. It is largely overblown... you're not much more significantly at risk than before really. You're only really possibly at risk with grinded meat or what not... mad cow disease affects the neverous system only. Hell I can give a huge list of things you're more likely to die from yet you still do it...

Chomping away at my hamburgers regardless. Hell I still drive, fly, go to the bank, stay out at night. Are you guys still in your bunkers after 9/11?