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3/13/2006
Statement of Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) on the Positive Finding of BSE in the United States
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced another
confirmed case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a cow
within the United States. USDA and the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) are now conducting an investigation into this case to determine
where this animal was born, what feed it consumed, and what offspring
it had. Answering these questions would be much more rapid and
certain if USDA would move ahead to put in place a national animal
identification system.
“Consumers should not question the safety of U.S. beef based on this
test. In addition to the other safeguards in place, it is
important to note that this particular cow was destroyed and kept out
of the human and animal food chains. Nevertheless, this latest
case is another reminder on how critical it is that USDA and FDA
further strengthen BSE safeguards to reassure both U.S. and foreign
consumers that the United States is doing everything possible to
prevent BSE in the U.S. cattle herd.”
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