May 19, 2004

USDA Wants Banned Bovine Parts Converted To Energy

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday it wants to use up to $50 million in government loan guarantees to help efforts to turn banned bovine material into energy.
 
Bill Hagy, a USDA deputy administrator for business programs, said, "We feel it's possible; we just don't know how many potential applicants ... out there that would be interested in exploring this further."
 
In January, USDA expanded the types of cattle parts considered to be a risk for spreading bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad-cow disease, and prohibited them from the human food supply. The new rule, prohibiting things such as skulls, brains and spinal cord if they come from cattle over 30 months of age, was announced shortly after BSE was discovered in a dairy cow in Washington state.
 
Hagy said USDA expects to begin soon receiving proposals on how to convert those "specified risk materials" into energy.
 

Source: USDA