January 14, 2004

 

 

Argentina Stepping Up Mad Cow Preventive Measures

 

The Rural Confederations of Argentina (CRA), one of Argentina's largest farm groups, said that it cannot afford to be complacent about mad cow disease and will take extra precautionary measures to ensure it does not surface in the country..

 

Mad-cow disease is a neurological disorder that destroys the brains of animals. The disease, which in rare cases can be fatally transferred to humans, was found in one cow last month in the U.S.

 

While local experts say mad-cow disease is unlikely to appear in Argentina, the CRA said it is important not to underestimate the seriousness of the disease.

 

"Our entity cannot be complacent about the crisis caused by mad cow in the United States," the CRA said in a statement. "This is bad news for all of the Americas. Given how important it is for our country to be free of this problem, we should carry out an active role in its prevention."

 

The CRA said it will begin telling domestic animal owners that they have a "moral obligation" to conduct testing on the foods they use to feed their animals. Argentina bans the use of meet products in cattle feed, but allows for their use in food for domestic animals such as dogs, according to CRA spokesman Carlos Nasif.

 

"We think these food products should be tested too, just to be sure that we don't have a problem with this disease anywhere," Nasif said. "It is very unlikely we'll have a mad-cow problem, but with the appearance of the disease in the U.S., we should be exceptionally cautious about it."

 

Mad-cow disease is known to be spread through the consumption of brain or spinal matter from an infected cow. The human form of mad cow is called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. In Britain, 143 people reportedly died from a mad-cow outbreak in the 1980s.

 

Nasif said the CRA will work with governmental agencies such as the National Institute of Agricultural Technology, or INTA, to help animal owners carry out tests for the disease.

 

"We want to redouble our efforts to prevent this disease from showing up," Nasif said. "It's not that we're afraid we'll have a problem. We just want to ensure that we do not. We want to instill confidence in the market and in the minds of consumers."

 

Argentina is the No. 7 exporter of beef. Moreover, Argentines consume around 60 kilograms of beef per year, more than residents of any other nation.