February 24, 2009

US cattle rendering businesses are getting ready for a new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule aimed at preventing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow disease from entering the food supply.

The FDA rule is aimed at providing extra protection against mad cow disease, which has been linked to more than 150 human deaths worldwide, and was associated to trade barriers against US beef.

The rule, which takes effect April 27, requires rendering facilities to remove the brain and spinal cord from all cattle of ages 30 months and older if they plan to use the dry material as feed ingredient. Renderers must find new uses for the material if the brain and spinal cord are not removed.

Angie Raatz, a member of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's Rendering Study Group steering committee, said they do not want to take any chances of having infected material getting into a food source.

Rendered cattle products are used in several commodities including livestock feed, dog food, cosmetics, soaps and hand creams, and some believes that the new rule will lead to higher costs for beef and dairy producers who will be required to clearly mark animals that are 30 months of age or older.

Larry Risty, director of marketing for Central Bi-Products in Redwood Falls, said the company is building a new facility in Long Prairie to render restricted animals. Risty said the company is studying different methods to use the rendered product, from creating fertiliser and fuel to energy production.

Risty said it is not feasible to do the brain and spinal cord removal at this time, but there may eventually be equipment to make it work.

The US had not encountered any problems with cattle over 30 months and there is no direct correlation, indicating that the current rules are working well, according to Risty.