July 9, 2004

 

 

USDA Mad Cow Tests Under Fire
 

U.S. lawmakers have called a joint House of Representatives committee hearing next week to question Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman and other officials about the adequacy of surveillance of mad cow disease.

 

The first U.S. case of mad cow disease was discovered in December in a dairy cow in Washington state, a Holstein imported from Canada.

 

At the suggestion of international experts, USDA expanded its surveillance program in June with the goal of testing at least 220,000 cattle by the end of 2005.

 

Meanwhile, there have been complaints USDA improperly allowed beef from Canada to enter the country, and failed to test a suspect animal in Texas. Moreoever, some cattle groups say USDA recently caused cattle prices to gyrate needlessly by announcing two "inconclusive" results of mad cow tests, which were later ruled negative.

 

The USDA has defended its testing procedures, and said it is publicizing inconclusive test results to avoid rumors that could disrupt futures market trading.

 

Leaders of the House Government Reform and House Agriculture committees scheduled for Wednesday a joint hearing on the testing system for mad cow disease, formally named bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

 

Veneman, top USDA meat safety officials and USDA's inspector general were expected to testify. The inspector general earlier this year launched a criminal investigation into whether any federal meat inspectors may have altered records regarding the Dec. 23 mad cow case.

 

Witnesses at the hearing also would include U.S. cattle producers and meatpackers.

 

A spokesman for Virginia Republican Tom Davis, chairman of the Government Reform Committee, said lawmakers wanted to examine the adequacy and effectiveness of USDA tests for mad cow disease.

 

Kansas Republican Jerry Moran, an Agriculture Committee member, cited complaints about flaws in the program, especially USDA's treatment of inconclusive test results, which trigger follow-up tests using more sophisticated techniques.

 

"Since the first case of BSE was discovered last December, USDA has been attempting to get a testing process in place that works well for the industry, for producers and for consumers," said Moran.

 

"While we're not there yet, progress has been made and the nation's cattle industry remains strong."