Group: Abuse of downer cattle continues
By Greg Toppo,
USA TODAY WASHINGTON — The group whose undercover slaughterhouse video last February prompted the largest beef recall in U.S. history alleged on Wednesday that cattle — some of them possibly bound for the National School Lunch Program — are still being abused, this time in livestock auctions. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), an animal rights group, said a new investigation shows dairy cattle being abused last May at a livestock auction in New Mexico. The group said an investigator watched three cows and calves "being mistreated and tormented in order to get them to stand and walk" into an auction ring in Portales, N.M. The group says state inspectors "were present at the auctions and apparently saw much of the abuse."
At HSUS's headquarters, Wayne Pacelle, the group's president, played for reporters a short video that showed, among other images, a stockyard worker kicking a cow, another cow struggling to pull itself forward by its front legs and another being dragged by a hind leg with a chain attached to a Bobcat-type tractor.
A meat industry trade association condemned the handling practices shown in the video, calling them "simply inexplicable."
It was not immediately clear whether the cows in the video were sold at auction or were even the same cows referred to in the investigation.
"We had hoped that this problem would have been taken care of by the regulatory agencies and the private livestock industry," Pacelle said. He added that there's no evidence that the downer cows were slaughtered or, if so, whether the meat found its way into the school lunch program, a major buyer of ground beef.
SCHOOL LUNCHES: Beef recall spotlights real cost of cheap cafeteria meals
"We just don't know" what happened to them, he said.
Pacelle noted that many cows sold at the Portales auction are processed at an Amarillo, Texas, plant that is a top supplier to the program.
American Meat Institute President J. Patrick Boyle said the practices depicted in the video are "harmful to animals and to the industry's reputation. The fact that this occurred is simply inexplicable."
He said humane handling of animals "is both ethically appropriate and has real economic benefits in terms of safer workplaces and better meat quality," and noted that industry guidelines prohibit the dragging of non-ambulatory cattle.
If the animals showed up at a meat packing plant, the group said, "they would most certainly be condemned by federal inspectors as unfit for the food supply."
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., who chairs the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, said the revelations of abuse at the auction "are extremely troublesome. Not only are we again witnessing the inhumane treatment of cows and the illegal slaughtering of downed cows for the food supply, but also the distribution of potentially contaminated meat into the school lunch program."
She said USDA should close a federal loophole that allows downer cattle to enter the food supply if, when they're first inspected, they are ambulatory.
On Feb. 17, the Hallmark/Westland Meatpacking Co., based in Chino, Calif., voluntarily recalled 143 million pounds of beef, after the U.S. Department of Agriculture found evidence that plant workers slaughtered "downer" cows — cows that were unable to walk — without a veterinarian inspecting them first.
Hallmark had stopped operations on Feb. 1, after HSUS released an undercover video shot last fall that showed plant workers using forklifts to roll cows that couldn't walk and poking them with electric prods, allegedly to move them to the slaughter box.
No illnesses were reported tied to the Hallmark beef, but downer cattle have been generally prohibited from the U.S. food supply since 2004 because they carry a higher risk of mad cow disease, a fatal brain illness, and E. coli and salmonella contamination.
Until the recall, Westmark was one of the nation's largest suppliers to the National School Lunch Program, supplying about 100 million pounds of beef total to federal food and nutrition programs over the last five years.
Last Friday, Daniel Navarro, a Hallmark slaughterhouse manager, pled guilty to two counts of felony animal cruelty and two misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty. A co-worker, Rafael Herrera, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in the case last March. He is serving 180 days in jail and is expected to be deported to his native Mexico.
Hallmark has drawn complaints about abusive treatment of animals since at least 1996, USA TODAY reported last March. The 12-year-old allegations of downer cattle being prodded are similar to the recent ones.
Contributing: Associated Press
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-06-25-downer-cattle_N.htm
>>>Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., who chairs the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, said the revelations of abuse at the auction "are extremely troublesome. Not only are we again witnessing the inhumane treatment of cows and the illegal slaughtering of downed cows for the food supply, but also the distribution of potentially contaminated meat into the school lunch program."<<<
yea, but even more troublesome is Waxman et al will hold another 'do nothing' hearing. his committee on OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM and mad cow disease issues and human health is a joke. please see ; Wednesday, November 01, 2006 Weaknesses in FDA's Food Safety System Rep. Waxman releases a fact sheet explaining that the growing incidence of contamination in fresh produce is a symptom of weaknesses in the federal food safety system. Monday, June 26, 2006 Prescription for Harm: The Decline in FDA Enforcement Activity A new report by Rep. Henry A. Waxman examines how the Bush Administration has carried out FDA’s historic enforcement responsibilities. The report is the result of a 15-month investigation that included a review of thousands of pages of internal agency enforcement records. It finds that there has been a precipitous drop in FDA enforcement actions over the last five years. Friday, June 24, 2005 Rep. Waxman's Statement on the United States' Second Confirmed Case of Mad Cow Disease Rep. Waxman comments on the second case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the United States. Wednesday, January 05, 2005 New Evidence Raises Questions About Cattle Imports from Canada Rep. Waxman and Sen. Conrad ask Agriculture nominee Michael Johanns to reconsider the decision to allow cattle imports from Canada in light of new information that cattle feed in Canada may be contaminated with animal protein, risking the spread of “mad cow disease.” Tuesday, July 13, 2004 IG Audit Finds Multiple Flaws in Mad Cow Surveillance Plan Rep. Waxman raises questions about the effectiveness and credibility of USDA's response to mad cow disease, citing an audit by the USDA Inspector General that finds systemic deficiencies in the Department's surveillance plan and new evidence that USDA misled the public in the wake of the detection of an infected cow in Washington State. Thursday, May 13, 2004 Failure To Test Staggering Cow May Reflect Wider Problems Rep. Waxman raises concerns that the recent failure of USDA to test an impaired cow for BSE may not be an isolated incident, citing the failure of USDA to monitor whether cows condemned for central nervous system symptoms are actually tested for mad cow disease. Tuesday, February 17, 2004 Washington State "Mad Cow" Walked on Day of Slaughter Reps. Waxman and Tom Davis release eyewitness statements that the cow infected with BSE was not a “downer” cow, as has been claimed – calling into question USDA’s surveillance program for mad cow disease and the agency's credibility. Tuesday, January 29, 2008 Waxman and Kennedy Request GAO Examination of FDA Resource Shortfalls Today Rep. Henry A. Waxman and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy wrote to Comptroller General of the United States David Walker requesting an examination of the staffing, information technology, and other resources necessary for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to successfully carry out its oversight of foods, drugs, biologics, and medical devices. COMMITTEE ON Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Henry A. Waxman, 110th Congress
http://oversight.house.gov/investigations.asp?ID=123
Frankly speaking, these people suck at doing there job of 'oversight'. they may see things i.e. 'oversight', but they do nothing. they ought to just call it a 'tea party', invite some more movie stars, or ball players on roids, for autographs, and call it a day. ...TSS
Owens, Julie From: Terry S. Singeltary Sr. [flounder9@verizon.net] Sent: Monday, July 24, 2006 1:09 PM To: FSIS RegulationsComments Subject: [Docket No. FSIS-2006-0011] FSIS Harvard Risk Assessment of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Page 1 of 98 8/3/2006
Greetings FSIS,
I would kindly like to comment on the following ;
[Federal Register: July 12, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 133)] [Notices] [Page 39282-39283] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr12jy06-35] -------------------------------------------------------- --------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food Safety and Inspection Service [Docket No. FSIS-2006-0011] Harvard Risk Assessment of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Update; Notice of Availability and Technical Meeting
snip...
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/E6-10928.htm
MY comments/questions are as follows ;
1. SINCE the first Harvard BSE Risk Assessment was so flawed and fraught with error after the PEER REVIEW assessment assessed this fact, how do you plan on stopping this from happening again, will there be another peer review with top TSE Scientist, an impartial jury so-to-speak, to assess this new and updated Harvard BSE/TSE risk assessment and will this assessment include the Atypical TSE and SRM issues ?
*** Suppressed peer review of Harvard study October 31, 2002 ***
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/topics/BSE_Peer_Review.pdf
2. WITH A RECENT NATION WIDE MAD COW FEED BAN RECALL in the past few months that consisted of some 10,878.06 TONS, then another Mad Cow feed ban warning letter in May, IT should seem prudent to ask why our feed bans continue to fail in 2006, and continue to fail today ?
snip...
full text 98 pages ;
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/Comments/2006-0011/2006-0011-1.pdf
[Docket No. 03-025IFA] FSIS Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirement for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle
03-025IFA 03-025IFA-2 Terry S. Singeltary
Page 1 of 17
From: Terry S. Singeltary Sr. [flounder9@verizon.net]
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 6:17 PM
To: fsis.regulationscomments@fsis.usda.gov
Subject: [Docket No. 03-025IFA] FSIS Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirements for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle
Greetings FSIS,
I would kindly like to submit the following to [Docket No. 03-025IFA] FSIS Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirements for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle THE BSE/TSE SUB CLINICAL Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle Broken bones and such may be the first signs of a sub clinical BSE/TSE Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle ;
SUB CLINICAL PRION INFECTION
MRC-43-00
Issued: Monday, 28 August 2000
NEW EVIDENCE OF SUB-CLINICAL PRION INFECTION: IMPORTANT RESEARCH
FINDINGS RELEVANT TO CJD AND BSE
A team of researchers led by Professor John Collinge at the Medical
Research Council Prion Unit1 report today in the Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences, on new evidence for the existence of a
"sub-clinical" form of BSE in mice which was unknown until now....
full text 17 pages ;
https://web01.aphis.usda.gov/regpublic.nsf/0/eff9eff1f7c5cf2b87256ecf000df08d?OpenDocument
PLEASE NOTE IN REFERENCE TO THE LATEST LONG TERM USDA DOWNER COW SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM CASE STUDY FOR VCJD IN CHILDREN
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (Variant) and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Prion Diseases) Description Since 1996, strong evidence has accumulated for a causal relationship between ongoing outbreaks, primarily in Europe, of a disease in cattle called bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or “mad cow disease”) and a disease in humans called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). Both disorders, which are caused by an unconventional transmissible agent, are invariably fatal brain diseases with incubation periods typically measured in years (1). Transmission of the BSE agent to humans, leading to vCJD, is believed to occur via ingestion of cattle products contaminated with the BSE agent; the specific foods associated with this transmission are unknown. However, a recently published case-control study involving 132 vCJD cases in the United Kingdom (UK) showed evidence of an increased risk for vCJD associated with the frequency of consuming beef products likely to contain mechanically recovered meat and head meat (such as burgers, meat pies, and sausages) (2). Bioassays and molecular tests have enabled identification of what World Health Organization consultants have classified as “high-infectivity” and “lower infectivity” tissues of cattle with BSE (3). The high-infectivity tissues include the brain, spinal cord, retina, optic nerve, and dorsal root and trigeminal ganglia, suggesting that these tissues can pose a relatively high risk of transmission. The lower infectivity tissues include peripheral nerves (e.g., sciatic and facial nerves), tonsils, nictitating membrane (third eye lid), distal ileum, bone marrow, and possibly thigh muscle. The latter tissue from one cow with BSE transmitted disease to highly BSE-sensitive transgenic mice at a rate indicative of trace levels of infectivity.
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh4-VariantPrions.aspx
USDA CERTIFIED DEAD STOCK DOWNER COW SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM, the most HIGH RISK animal for BSE mad cow disease, and even more risky here in the USA, where the last two cases of mad cow disease was of the _atypical_ BSE, in Texas and Alabama. THE atypical BSE is more virulent to humans than the U.K. BSE strain. ...TSS
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/
HISTORY OF DEAD STOCK DOWNER COW PROGRAM
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/04/gao-report-on-humane-methods-of.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-certified-dead-stock-downer-cow.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-still-pandering-to-industry-still_27.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-still-pandering-to-industry-still.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/recalled-beef-from-chino-slaughterhouse.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/mad-cow-disease-typical-vs-atypical.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/downer-cow-blues-senators-want.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/mr-will-hueston-dvm-on-school-lunch.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/california-downer-cow-meat-worker-i-was.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-questions-and-answers.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-to-hallmark-we-want-our-plaque.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/house-committee-subpoenas.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/california-lists-possible-recipients-of.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/to-hard-working-employees-of-usda-and.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/beef-recall-nationwide-school-lunch.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/transcript-technical-briefing.html
NOW, how risky dead stock downer cattle?
let's look at an old (in the field) case study. now, this could never have happened, the USA does not have mad cow disease today, or back then ;-(TSS)...not!
Transmissible Mink Encephalopathy TME (MAD MINK DISEASE)
Over the next 8-10 weeks, approximately 40% of all the adult mink on the farm died from TME. Since previous incidences of TME were associated with common or shared feeding practices, we obtained a careful history of feed ingredients used over the past 12-18 months. The rancher was a "dead stock" feeder using mostly (>95%) downer or dead dairy cattle and a few horses. Sheep had never been fed.
http://web.archive.org/web/20030331063559/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09a/tab01.pdf
http://web.archive.org/web/20030516051623/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09/tab05.pdf
Transmissible Mink Encephalopathy TME (MAD MINK DISEASE)
http://transmissible-mink-encephalopathy.blogspot.com/
40% DIED OVER 8-10 WEEKS TIME !
O.K., just because your children have all been exposed, and evidently continue to be exposed, could potentially die a horrific death from CJD in the years and or decades to come, could expose who knows how many more people via friendly fire i.e. iCJD in the years and or decades to come, should this be cause for alarm ?
NOW, ask yourself WHY THE HONORABLE PEOPLE OF KOREA DO NOT WANT USDA CERTIFIED BEEF ?
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Beef Imports to Korea: An Open Letter to President Bush Korean middle school student Chae-song Kim asks that the trade agreement be reconsidered
http://usdavskorea.blogspot.com/2008/06/beef-imports-to-korea-open-letter-to.html
http://usdavskorea.blogspot.com/
Please remember, the last two mad cows documented in the USA i.e. Alabama and Texas, both were of the 'atypical' BSE strain, and immediately after that, the USDA shut down the testing from 470,000 to 40,000 in the U.S. in 2007 out of about 35 million cattle slaughtered. also, science is showing that some of these atypical cases are more virulent to humans than the typical UK BSE strain ;
***Atypical forms of BSE have emerged which, although rare, appear to be more virulent than the classical BSE that causes vCJD.***
Progress Report from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center
An Update from Stephen M. Sergay, MB, BCh & Pierluigi Gambetti, MD
April 3, 2008
http://www.aan.com/news/?event=read&article_id=4397&page=72.45.45
please see full text with additional comments and links @ ;
http://prionunitusaupdate2008.blogspot.com/
In this context, a word is in order about the US testing program. After the discovery of the first (imported) cow in 2003, the magnitude of testing was much increased, reaching a level of >400,000 tests in 2005 (Figure 4). Neither of the 2 more recently indigenously infected older animals with nonspecific clinical features would have been detected without such testing, and neither would have been identified as atypical without confirmatory Western blots. Despite these facts, surveillance has now been decimated to 40,000 annual tests (USDA news release no. 0255.06, July 20, 2006) and invites the accusation that the United States will never know the true status of its involvement with BSE.
In short, a great deal of further work will need to be done before the phenotypic features and prevalence of atypical BSE are understood. More than a single strain may have been present from the beginning of the epidemic, but this possibility has been overlooked by virtue of the absence of widespread Western blot confirmatory testing of positive screening test results; or these new phenotypes may be found, at least in part, to result from infections at an older age by a typical BSE agent, rather than neonatal infections with new "strains" of BSE. Neither alternative has yet been investigated.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no12/06-0965.htm
IF BSE is not in the USA (just not documented for many different reasons), and only atypical BSE is in the USA (plus CWD, plus, many strains of Scrapie, and Now the Nor-98 documented in 5 different states, plus TME, then why would human mad cow in the USA look like the UK nvCJD from UK BSE cows ? it was shown long ago in studies at Mission Texas that experimental transmission of USA Scrapie to USA Bovine, DID NOT LOOK LIKE UK BSE. so again, in short, why would human mad cow in the USA look like human mad cow in the UK i.e. the (nvCJD). however, I believe that BSE has been in the USA untested and undocumented for years. why on earth then does the USDA refuse to allow creekstone or anyone else test their product? simple, if you don't look/test, you don't find.
snip...
please see full text ;
http://cjdmadcowbaseoct2007.blogspot.com/2008/06/portsmouth-woman-did-not-die-of-mad-cow.html
SEE STEADY INCREASE IN SPORADIC CJD IN THE USA FROM 1997 TO 2006. SPORADIC CJD CASES TRIPLED, with phenotype of 'UNKNOWN' strain growing. ...
http://www.cjdsurveillance.com/resources-casereport.html
Communicated by: Terry S. Singeltary Sr.
[In submitting these data, Terry S. Singeltary Sr. draws attention to the steady increase in the "type unknown" category, which, according to their definition, comprises cases in which vCJD could be excluded. The total of 26 cases for the current year (2007) is disturbing, possibly symptomatic of the circulation of novel agents. Characterization of these agents should be given a high priority. - Mod.CP]
http://pro-med.blogspot.com/2007/11/proahedr-prion-disease-update-2007-07.html
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1001:6833194127530602005::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1010,39963
There is a growing number of human CJD cases, and they were presented last week in San Francisco by Luigi Gambatti(?) from his CJD surveillance collection.
He estimates that it may be up to 14 or 15 persons which display selectively SPRPSC and practically no detected RPRPSC proteins.
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/1006-4240t1.htm
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/2006-4240t1.pdf
The statistical incidence of CJD cases in the United States has been revised to reflect that there is one case per 9000 in adults age 55 and older. Eighty-five percent of the cases are sporadic, meaning there is no known cause at present.
http://www.cjdfoundation.org/fact.html
Diagnosis and Reporting of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
Singeltary, Sr et al. JAMA.2001; 285: 733-734.
http://jama.ama-assn.org/http://www.neurology.org/cgi/eletters/60/2/176#535
BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL
BMJ
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/319/7220/1312/b#5406
BMJ
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/320/7226/8/b#6117
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
MARCH 26, 2003
RE-Monitoring the occurrence of emerging forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease in the United States
Email Terry S. Singeltary:
flounder9@verizon.net
I lost my mother to hvCJD (Heidenhain Variant CJD). I would like to comment on the CDC's attempts to monitor the occurrence of emerging forms of CJD. Asante, Collinge et al [1] have reported that BSE transmission to the 129-methionine genotype can lead to an alternate phenotype that is indistinguishable from type 2 PrPSc, the commonest sporadic CJD. However, CJD and all human TSEs are not reportable nationally. CJD and all human TSEs must be made reportable in every state and internationally. I hope that the CDC does not continue to expect us to still believe that the 85%+ of all CJD cases which are sporadic are all spontaneous, without route/source. We have many TSEs in the USA in both animal and man. CWD in deer/elk is spreading rapidly and CWD does transmit to mink, ferret, cattle, and squirrel monkey by intracerebral inoculation. With the known incubation periods in other TSEs, oral transmission studies of CWD may take much longer. Every victim/family of CJD/TSEs should be asked about route and source of this agent. To prolong this will only spread the agent and needlessly expose others. In light of the findings of Asante and Collinge et al, there should be drastic measures to safeguard the medical and surgical arena from sporadic CJDs and all human TSEs. I only ponder how many sporadic CJDs in the USA are type 2 PrPSc?
http://www.neurology.org/cgi/eletters/60/2/176#535
THE PATHOLOGICAL PROTEIN Hardcover, 304 pages plus photos and illustrations. ISBN 0-387-95508-9
June 2003
BY Philip Yam
CHAPTER 14 LAYING ODDS
Answering critics like Terry Singeltary, who feels that the U.S. under- counts CJD, Schonberger conceded that the current surveillance system has errors but stated that most of the errors will be confined to the older population.
http://www.thepathologicalprotein.com/
doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(03)00715-1 Copyright © 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Newsdesk
Tracking spongiform encephalopathies in North America
Xavier Bosch
Available online 29 July 2003.
Volume 3, Issue 8, August 2003, Page 463
“My name is Terry S Singeltary Sr, and I live in Bacliff, Texas. I lost my mom to hvCJD (Heidenhain variant CJD) and have been searching for answers ever since. What I have found is that we have not been told the truth. CWD in deer and elk is a small portion of a much bigger problem.”
............................
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473309903007151/fulltext
http://download.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/1473-3099/PIIS1473309903007151.pdf
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
FDA BSE/Ruminant Feed Inspections Firms Inventory Report Texas Legend Ranch OAI 05/10/2008
http://madcowfeed.blogspot.com/2008/05/fda-bseruminant-feed-inspections-firms.html
A novel human disease with abnormal prion protein sensitive to protease (prionopathy) JUNE 2008
http://cjdmadcowbaseoct2007.blogspot.com/2008/06/novel-human-disease-with-abnormal-prion.html
HUMAN and ANIMAL TSE Classifications i.e. mad cow disease and the UKBSEnvCJD only theory JUNE 2008
http://cjdmadcowbaseoct2007.blogspot.com/2008/06/human-and-animal-tse-classifications-ie.html
Terry S. Singeltary Sr. P.O. Box 42 Bacliff, Texas USA 77518
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
AGRICULTURE SECRETARY ED SCHAFER ANNOUNCES PLAN TO END EXCEPTIONS TO ANIMAL HANDLING RULE (complete dead stock, non-ambulatory, downer cow ban)
Release No. 0131.08 Contact: Office of Communications (202)720-4623
AGRICULTURE SECRETARY ED SCHAFER ANNOUNCES PLAN TO END EXCEPTIONS TO ANIMAL HANDLING RULE
WASHINGTON, May 20, 2008- One day after I was sworn in as Secretary of Agriculture, I learned of the illegal acts of inhumane handling that took place at the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company in Chino, California. I immediately called upon the Office of the Inspector General and the Food Safety and Inspection Service to determine how this happened and what could be done in the future to ensure that animals are treated humanely.
I told the American people and the United States Congress that I was going to treat this issue with the utmost urgency, and do everything in my power to appropriately address this problem and work to strengthen consumer confidence in our food supply. We found clear evidence that rules weren't being followed which resulted in USDA calling for the largest beef recall in American history – a clear sign that we took these inhumane violations seriously. Rules have purpose, and when you violate them, there are consequences.
I felt it was important to take proactive steps to assess the state of humane handling activities in cattle slaughter establishments while the OIG and FSIS investigations are ongoing, and on February 28, I instructed FSIS to initiate a number of interim action items related to inhumane handling.
The 60-day enhanced surveillance period concluded on May 6 and while we are still analyzing those results, today I am announcing that USDA will begin working on a proposed rule to prohibit the slaughter of all disabled non-ambulatory cattle, also know as "downer cattle." In other words, I am calling for the end of the exceptions in the so called "downer rule."
Last year, of the nearly 34 million cattle that were slaughtered, under 1,000 cattle that were re-inspected were actually approved by the veterinarian for slaughter. This represents less than 0.003 percent of cattle slaughtered annually. As you can see, this number is minimal.
The current rule, which focuses on cattle that went down after they have already passed pre-slaughter inspection, has been challenging to communicate and has, at times, been confusing to consumers.
To maintain consumer confidence in the food supply, eliminate further misunderstanding of the rule and, ultimately, to make a positive impact on the humane handling of cattle, I believe it is sound policy to simplify this matter by initiating a complete ban on the slaughter of downer cattle that go down after initial inspection.
FSIS will draft a proposed rule to remove the exception that allows certain injured cattle to proceed to slaughter. This action is expected to provide additional efficiencies to food safety inspection by removing the step that requires inspection workforce to determine when non-ambulatory cattle are safe to slaughter.
The decision to ban all non-ambulatory cattle from slaughter will positively impact the humane handling of cattle by reducing the incentive to send marginally weakened cattle to market.
Cattle producers, transporters and slaughter establishments alike will be encouraged to enhance humane handling practices, as there will no longer be any market for cattle that are too weak to rise or walk on their own.
In February, I said that we would look into every option, and more importantly, we would listen and base our decisions on sound policy. I believe this announcement today strikes the right balance, and will benefit our efforts to not only improve consumer confidence, but improve the humane handling of animals.
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2008/05/0131.xml
Greetings,
IN their desire to continue to keep the mad cow issues under raps, the government continues to address this issue as a 'inhumane handling' issue, when you and I both know this issue was about 'public health' i.e. DOWNERS ARE THE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE MAD COW DISEASE, THEY ARE THE MOST HIGH RISK ANIMALS, and these were the ones that were going into the school lunch program for our children, all across the nation. nothing more than a long term case study for CJD. however, it seems the government has chosen not to follow these children that were exposed to the most high risk animals for BSE. Thousands and Thousands of children all across the USA needlessly exposed to a disease that once clinical, is 100% fatal. THE UK children that were exposed to BSE, to date, under 200 deaths, this from typical BSE. WHAT about the USA and atypical BSE? WE now know that atypical BSE is MORE virulent to humans, than the typical UK BSE strain, and we know that the last two mad cows in the USA were atypical BSE. So how will this play out in the potential death sentences handed down by our federal government and their industry cohorts, to our children over the next decade or two? IF anyone that reads this thinks for one minute that AGRICULTURE SECRETARY ED SCHAFER is going to ban all downers, just because of 'inhumane handling', well, you are only kidding yourself. This IS a human health issue, from a disease that is 100% fatal once clinical, that your children were needlessly exposed to all for one reason, and one reason only, GREED$ Instead of disposing of these animals as they were suppose to, they were secretly, silently, and illegally, feeding your children dead stock downer cows, i.e. the most highly likely animals to have the BSE agent. All this just to save a buck, and to get the very last penny they could, and cash it all in on the very lives of all these children that were needlessly exposed. I hope,.............. NO, I pray that one day, we will see all of those that are responsible for this, behind bars.
I find it disgusting that in America, when some big government official or a big wheel corporate official gets caught, they get well compensated with millions and millions of dollars in retirement, stock options, and corporate gimmies, and go gingerly on their merry way into civil society, in some cases, only to go to another corporate position, into another corporation. When what some honorable people do in Korea and other Asian countries, after such corruption and or disgrace to their country and people, they honorably commit suicide. Not in good old America though. Here, you get well compensated for the harm and corruption that you do, some times to a tune of 10s or 100s of millions of dollars. America and the Government that runs it is broke. you may not like to hear that, I don't like to say it, but it's the truth.
REGARDLESS, this is good that we now at least have this on paper i.e. a complete downer cow ban. however, we have seen many regulations on paper before for mad cow disease that never were enforced. The big issue here is, WILL THIS 'DOWNER BAN' BE ENFORCED, or just more ink on paper, and WHEN will it finally go into effect? I also would like to say that even though I am definitely not a 'BIG BROTHER' fan, but if at every intersection, every freeway, and or corner on the street, if I am going to be video tapped, and or recorded, I think that every slaughterhouse killing floor should have to be monitored and taped, along with every feed lot. I mean why not, this is about 'agro terrorism', except we are the terrorist, and have been for years. The very rules and regulations we are trying to mandate, to protect against terrorism, we are not abiding by, and haven't been. ...
Please remember, the last two mad cows documented in the USA i.e. Alabama and Texas, both were of the 'atypical' BSE strain, and immediately after that, the USDA shut down the testing from 470,000 to 40,000 in the U.S. in 2007 out of about 35 million cattle slaughtered. also, science is showing that some of these atypical cases are more virulent to humans than the typical UK BSE strain ;
***Atypical forms of BSE have emerged which, although rare, appear to be more virulent than the classical BSE that causes vCJD.***
Progress Report from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center
An Update from Stephen M. Sergay, MB, BCh & Pierluigi Gambetti, MD
April 3, 2008
http://www.aan.com/news/?event=read&article_id=4397&page=72.45.45
IF BSE is not in the USA (just not documented for many different reasons), and only atypical BSE is in the USA (plus CWD, plus, many strains of Scrapie, and Now the Nor-98 documented in 5 different states, plus TME, then why would human mad cow in the USA look like the UK nvCJD from UK BSE cows ? it was shown long ago in studies at Mission Texas that experimental transmission of USA Scrapie to USA Bovine, DID NOT LOOK LIKE UK BSE. so again, in short, why would human mad cow in the USA look like human mad cow in the UK i.e. the (nvCJD). however, I believe that BSE has been in the USA untested and undocumented for years. why on earth then does the USDA refuse to allow creekstone or anyone else test their product? simple, if you don't look/test, you don't find.
ONE only has to read how the USDA et al have legally blocked, blundered, botched, mismanaged, bungled, floundered, and flat out manipulated, the testing in the infamous June 2004 enhanced cover-up program for mad cow surveillance and testing. I mean, I am not really to hip on THE INDUSTRY, testing for mad cow disease, and what that program might consist of, but anything is better than nothing at all. ...
BSE BASE MAD COW TESTING TEXAS, USA, AND CANADA
http://madcowtesting.blogspot.com/
MAD COW DISEASE terminology UK c-BSE (typical), atypical BSE H or L, and or Italian L-BASE
http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2008/03/mad-cow-disease-terminology-uk-c-bse.html
In 2007, in one weekly enforcement report, the fda recalled 10,000,000+ pounds of BANNED MAD COW FEED, 'in commerce', and i can tell you that most of it was fed out ;
10,000,000+ LBS. of PROHIBITED BANNED MAD COW FEED I.E. MBM IN COMMERCE USA 2007
Date: March 21, 2007 at 2:27 pm PST REASON Blood meal used to make cattle feed was recalled because it was cross-contaminated with prohibited bovine meat and bone meal that had been manufactured on common equipment and labeling did not bear cautionary BSE statement. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 42,090 lbs. DISTRIBUTION WI
REASON Products manufactured from bulk feed containing blood meal that was cross contaminated with prohibited meat and bone meal and the labeling did not bear cautionary BSE statement. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 9,997,976 lbs. DISTRIBUTION ID and NV
END OF ENFORCEMENT REPORT FOR MARCH 21, 2007
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/EnforcementReports/2007/ucm120446.htm
Subject: MAD COW FEED RECALL USA SEPT 6, 2006 1961.72 TONS IN COMMERCE AL, TN, AND WV Date: September 6, 2006 at 7:58 am PST
snip... see listings and references of enormous amounts of banned mad cow protein 'in commerce' in 2006 and 2005 ;
see full text ;
Friday, April 25, 2008
Substances Prohibited From Use in Animal Food or Feed [Docket No. 2002N-0273] (Formerly Docket No. 02N-0273) RIN 0910-AF46
http://madcowfeed.blogspot.com/2008/04/substances-prohibited-from-use-in.html
SPECIFIED RISK MATERIALS
http://madcowspontaneousnot.blogspot.com/2008/02/specified-risk-materials-srm.html
SRM MAD COW RECALL 406 THOUSAND POUNDS CATTLE HEADS WITH TONSILS KANSAS
http://cjdmadcowbaseoct2007.blogspot.com/2008/04/srm-mad-cow-recall-406-thousand-pounds.html
Sunday, April 20, 2008 Progress Report from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center April 3, 2008
Atypical forms of BSE have emerged which, although rare, appear to be more virulent than the classical BSE that causes vCJD.
see full text ;
http://prionunitusaupdate2008.blogspot.com/2008/04/progress-report-from-national-prion.html
CJD TEXAS (cjd clusters)
http://cjdtexas.blogspot.com/
CJD USA RISING
The statistical incidence of CJD cases in the United States has been ***revised to reflect that there is one case per 9000 in adults age 55 and older. Eighty-five percent of the cases are sporadic, meaning there is no known cause at present.
http://www.cjdfoundation.org/fact.html
Communicated by: Terry S. Singeltary Sr.
[In submitting these data, Terry S. Singeltary Sr. draws attention to the steady increase in the "type unknown" category, which, according to their definition, comprises cases in which vCJD could be excluded. The total of 26 cases for the current year (2007) is disturbing, possibly symptomatic of the circulation of novel agents. Characterization of these agents should be given a high priority. - Mod.CP]
http://pro-med.blogspot.com/2007/11/proahedr-prion-disease-update-2007-07.html
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1001:6833194127530602005::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1010,39963
There is a growing number of human CJD cases, and they were presented last week in San Francisco by Luigi Gambatti(?) from his CJD surveillance collection.
He estimates that it may be up to 14 or 15 persons which display selectively SPRPSC and practically no detected RPRPSC proteins.
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/1006-4240t1.htm
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/2006-4240t1.pdf
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
MARCH 26, 2003
RE-Monitoring the occurrence of emerging forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease in the United States
Email Terry S. Singeltary:
flounder@wt.net
I lost my mother to hvCJD (Heidenhain Variant CJD). I would like to comment on the CDC's attempts to monitor the occurrence of emerging forms of CJD. Asante, Collinge et al [1] have reported that BSE transmission to the 129-methionine genotype can lead to an alternate phenotype that is indistinguishable from type 2 PrPSc, the commonest sporadic CJD. However, CJD and all human TSEs are not reportable nationally. CJD and all human TSEs must be made reportable in every state and internationally. I hope that the CDC does not continue to expect us to still believe that the 85%+ of all CJD cases which are sporadic are all spontaneous, without route/source. We have many TSEs in the USA in both animal and man. CWD in deer/elk is spreading rapidly and CWD does transmit to mink, ferret, cattle, and squirrel monkey b y intracerebral inoculation. With the known incubation periods in other TSEs, oral transmission studies of CWD may take much longer. Every victim/family of CJD/TSEs should be asked about route and source of this agent. To prolong this will only spread the agent and needlessly expose others. In light of the findings of Asante and Collinge et al, there should be drastic measures to safeguard the medical and surgical arena from sporadic CJDs and all human TSEs. I only ponder how many sporadic CJDs in the USA are type 2 PrPSc?
http://www.neurology.org/cgi/eletters/60/2/176#535
THE PATHOLOGICAL PROTEIN
Hardcover, 304 pages plus photos and illustrations. ISBN 0-387-95508-9
June 2003
BY Philip Yam
CHAPTER 14 LAYING ODDS
Answering critics like Terry Singeltary, who feels that the U.S. under- counts CJD, Schonberger conceded that the current surveillance system has errors but stated that most of the errors will be confined to the older population.
http://www.thepathologicalprotein.com/
Diagnosis and Reporting of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Singeltary, Sr et al. JAMA.2001; 285: 733-734. Vol. 285 No. 6, February 14, 2001 JAMA
Diagnosis and Reporting of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
To the Editor: In their Research Letter, Dr Gibbons and colleagues1 reported that the annual US death rate due to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) has been stable since 1985. These estimates, however, are based only on reported cases, and do not include misdiagnosed or preclinical cases. It seems to me that misdiagnosis alone would drastically change these figures. An unknown number of persons with a diagnosis of Alzheimer disease in fact may have CJD, although only a small number of these patients receive the postmortem examination necessary to make this diagnosis. Furthermore, only a few states have made CJD reportable. Human and animal transmissible spongiform encephalopathies should be reportable nationwide and internationally.
Terry S. Singeltary, Sr Bacliff, Tex
1. Gibbons RV, Holman RC, Belay ED, Schonberger LB. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the United States: 1979-1998. JAMA. 2000;284:2322-2323. FREE FULL TEXT
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/extract/285/6/733?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=singeltary&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/285/6/733?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=singeltary&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT
2 January 2000
British Medical Journal U.S. Scientist should be concerned with a CJD epidemic in the U.S., as well
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/320/7226/8/b#6117
15 November 1999
British Medical Journal vCJD in the USA * BSE in U.S.
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/319/7220/1312/b#5406
Over the next 8-10 weeks, approximately 40% of all the adult mink on the farm died from TME. Since previous incidences of TME were associated with common or shared feeding practices, we obtained a careful history of feed ingredients used over the past 12-18 months. The rancher was a "dead stock" feeder using mostly (>95%) downer or dead dairy cattle and a few horses. Sheep had never been fed.
http://web.archive.org/web/20030331063559/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09a/tab01.pdf
http://web.archive.org/web/20030516051623/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09/tab05.pdf
USDA CERTIFIED DEAD STOCK DOWNER COW SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM for children
please note, dead stock downer cattle i.e. non-ambulatory, are the most likely to have mad cow disease.
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/04/gao-report-on-humane-methods-of.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-certified-dead-stock-downer-cow.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-still-pandering-to-industry-still_27.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-still-pandering-to-industry-still.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/recalled-beef-from-chino-slaughterhouse.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/mad-cow-disease-typical-vs-atypical.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/downer-cow-blues-senators-want.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/mr-will-hueston-dvm-on-school-lunch.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/california-downer-cow-meat-worker-i-was.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-questions-and-answers.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-to-hallmark-we-want-our-plaque.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/house-committee-subpoenas.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/california-lists-possible-recipients-of.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/to-hard-working-employees-of-usda-and.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/beef-recall-nationwide-school-lunch.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/transcript-technical-briefing.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-still-pandering-to-industry-still.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/05/humane-society-releases-new-video-of.html
GAO REPORT ON HUMANE METHODS OF HANDLING AND SLAUGHTER I.E. DOWNER COW SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM
What GAO Found
April 17, 2008
HUMANE METHODS OF HANDLING AND SLAUGHTER
see full text 18 pages ;
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08686t.pdf
Thu Dec 6, 2007 11:38
FDA IN CRISIS MODE, AMERICAN LIVES AT RISK
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/fs/food-disease/news/dec0407fda.html
FDA SCIENCE AND MISSION AT RISK
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/07/briefing/2007-4329b_02_01_FDA%20Report%20on%20Science%20and%20Technology.pdf
[Docket No. 03-025IFA] FSIS Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirement for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle 9/13/2005
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/Comments/03-025IFA/03-025IFA-2.pdf
3. Prof. A. Robertson gave a brief account of BSE. The US approach was to accord it a _very low profile indeed_. Dr. A Thiermann showed the picture in the ''Independent'' with cattle being incinerated and thought this was a fanatical incident to be _avoided_ in the US _at all costs_ $
http://collections.europarchive.org/tna/20080102193705/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m11b/tab01.pdf
Attachment to Singeltary comment
January 28, 2007
Greetings APHIS,
I would kindly like to submit the following to ;
BSE; MRR; IMPORTATION OF LIVE BOVINES AND PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM BOVINES [Docket No. APHIS-2006-0041] RIN 0579-AC01
[Federal Register: January 9, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 5)] [Proposed Rules] [Page 1101-1129] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr09ja07-21]
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocumentDetail&o=09000064801f8152
BSE; MRR; IMPORTATION OF LIVE BOVINES AND PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM BOVINES [Docket No. APHIS-2006-0041] RIN 0579-AC01 Date: January 9, 2007 at 9:08 am PST
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocumentDetail&o=09000064801f3412
[Docket No. FSIS-2006-0011] FSIS Harvard Risk Assessment of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/Comments/2006-0011/2006-0011-1.pdf
APHIS-2006-0041-0006 TSE advisory committee for the meeting December 15, 2006
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/ContentViewer?objectId=09000064801f3413&disposition=attachment&contentType=msw8
NOR-98 ATYPICAL SCRAPIE 5 cases documented in USA in 5 different states USA 007
http://nor-98.blogspot.com/2008/04/seac-spongiform-encephalopathy-advisory.html
http://nor-98.blogspot.com/
SCRAPIE USA
http://scrapie-usa.blogspot.com/
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/
Thursday, April 03, 2008
A prion disease of cervids: Chronic wasting disease 2008
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2008/04/prion-disease-of-cervids-chronic.html
Transmissible Mink Encephalopathy TME
http://transmissible-mink-encephalopathy.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Interference at the EPA - Science and Politics at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
please see full text ;
http://sciencebushwhacked.blogspot.com/
still disgusted in Bacliff, Texas USA
Terry S. Singeltary Sr. P.O. Box 42 Bacliff, Texas USA 77518
AGRICULTURE SECRETARY ED SCHAFER ANNOUNCES PLAN TO END EXCEPTIONS TO ANIMAL HANDLING RULE
WASHINGTON, May 20, 2008- One day after I was sworn in as Secretary of Agriculture, I learned of the illegal acts of inhumane handling that took place at the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company in Chino, California. I immediately called upon the Office of the Inspector General and the Food Safety and Inspection Service to determine how this happened and what could be done in the future to ensure that animals are treated humanely.
I told the American people and the United States Congress that I was going to treat this issue with the utmost urgency, and do everything in my power to appropriately address this problem and work to strengthen consumer confidence in our food supply. We found clear evidence that rules weren't being followed which resulted in USDA calling for the largest beef recall in American history – a clear sign that we took these inhumane violations seriously. Rules have purpose, and when you violate them, there are consequences.
I felt it was important to take proactive steps to assess the state of humane handling activities in cattle slaughter establishments while the OIG and FSIS investigations are ongoing, and on February 28, I instructed FSIS to initiate a number of interim action items related to inhumane handling.
The 60-day enhanced surveillance period concluded on May 6 and while we are still analyzing those results, today I am announcing that USDA will begin working on a proposed rule to prohibit the slaughter of all disabled non-ambulatory cattle, also know as "downer cattle." In other words, I am calling for the end of the exceptions in the so called "downer rule."
Last year, of the nearly 34 million cattle that were slaughtered, under 1,000 cattle that were re-inspected were actually approved by the veterinarian for slaughter. This represents less than 0.003 percent of cattle slaughtered annually. As you can see, this number is minimal.
The current rule, which focuses on cattle that went down after they have already passed pre-slaughter inspection, has been challenging to communicate and has, at times, been confusing to consumers.
To maintain consumer confidence in the food supply, eliminate further misunderstanding of the rule and, ultimately, to make a positive impact on the humane handling of cattle, I believe it is sound policy to simplify this matter by initiating a complete ban on the slaughter of downer cattle that go down after initial inspection.
FSIS will draft a proposed rule to remove the exception that allows certain injured cattle to proceed to slaughter. This action is expected to provide additional efficiencies to food safety inspection by removing the step that requires inspection workforce to determine when non-ambulatory cattle are safe to slaughter.
The decision to ban all non-ambulatory cattle from slaughter will positively impact the humane handling of cattle by reducing the incentive to send marginally weakened cattle to market.
Cattle producers, transporters and slaughter establishments alike will be encouraged to enhance humane handling practices, as there will no longer be any market for cattle that are too weak to rise or walk on their own.
In February, I said that we would look into every option, and more importantly, we would listen and base our decisions on sound policy. I believe this announcement today strikes the right balance, and will benefit our efforts to not only improve consumer confidence, but improve the humane handling of animals.
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2008/05/0131.xml
Greetings,
IN their desire to continue to keep the mad cow issues under raps, the government continues to address this issue as a 'inhumane handling' issue, when you and I both know this issue was about 'public health' i.e. DOWNERS ARE THE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE MAD COW DISEASE, THEY ARE THE MOST HIGH RISK ANIMALS, and these were the ones that were going into the school lunch program for our children, all across the nation. nothing more than a long term case study for CJD. however, it seems the government has chosen not to follow these children that were exposed to the most high risk animals for BSE. Thousands and Thousands of children all across the USA needlessly exposed to a disease that once clinical, is 100% fatal. THE UK children that were exposed to BSE, to date, under 200 deaths, this from typical BSE. WHAT about the USA and atypical BSE? WE now know that atypical BSE is MORE virulent to humans, than the typical UK BSE strain, and we know that the last two mad cows in the USA were atypical BSE. So how will this play out in the potential death sentences handed down by our federal government and their industry cohorts, to our children over the next decade or two? IF anyone that reads this thinks for one minute that AGRICULTURE SECRETARY ED SCHAFER is going to ban all downers, just because of 'inhumane handling', well, you are only kidding yourself. This IS a human health issue, from a disease that is 100% fatal once clinical, that your children were needlessly exposed to all for one reason, and one reason only, GREED$ Instead of disposing of these animals as they were suppose to, they were secretly, silently, and illegally, feeding your children dead stock downer cows, i.e. the most highly likely animals to have the BSE agent. All this just to save a buck, and to get the very last penny they could, and cash it all in on the very lives of all these children that were needlessly exposed. I hope,.............. NO, I pray that one day, we will see all of those that are responsible for this, behind bars.
I find it disgusting that in America, when some big government official or a big wheel corporate official gets caught, they get well compensated with millions and millions of dollars in retirement, stock options, and corporate gimmies, and go gingerly on their merry way into civil society, in some cases, only to go to another corporate position, into another corporation. When what some honorable people do in Korea and other Asian countries, after such corruption and or disgrace to their country and people, they honorably commit suicide. Not in good old America though. Here, you get well compensated for the harm and corruption that you do, some times to a tune of 10s or 100s of millions of dollars. America and the Government that runs it is broke. you may not like to hear that, I don't like to say it, but it's the truth.
REGARDLESS, this is good that we now at least have this on paper i.e. a complete downer cow ban. however, we have seen many regulations on paper before for mad cow disease that never were enforced. The big issue here is, WILL THIS 'DOWNER BAN' BE ENFORCED, or just more ink on paper, and WHEN will it finally go into effect? I also would like to say that even though I am definitely not a 'BIG BROTHER' fan, but if at every intersection, every freeway, and or corner on the street, if I am going to be video tapped, and or recorded, I think that every slaughterhouse killing floor should have to be monitored and taped, along with every feed lot. I mean why not, this is about 'agro terrorism', except we are the terrorist, and have been for years. The very rules and regulations we are trying to mandate, to protect against terrorism, we are not abiding by, and haven't been. ...
Please remember, the last two mad cows documented in the USA i.e. Alabama and Texas, both were of the 'atypical' BSE strain, and immediately after that, the USDA shut down the testing from 470,000 to 40,000 in the U.S. in 2007 out of about 35 million cattle slaughtered. also, science is showing that some of these atypical cases are more virulent to humans than the typical UK BSE strain ;
***Atypical forms of BSE have emerged which, although rare, appear to be more virulent than the classical BSE that causes vCJD.***
Progress Report from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center
An Update from Stephen M. Sergay, MB, BCh & Pierluigi Gambetti, MD
April 3, 2008
http://www.aan.com/news/?event=read&article_id=4397&page=72.45.45
IF BSE is not in the USA (just not documented for many different reasons), and only atypical BSE is in the USA (plus CWD, plus, many strains of Scrapie, and Now the Nor-98 documented in 5 different states, plus TME, then why would human mad cow in the USA look like the UK nvCJD from UK BSE cows ? it was shown long ago in studies at Mission Texas that experimental transmission of USA Scrapie to USA Bovine, DID NOT LOOK LIKE UK BSE. so again, in short, why would human mad cow in the USA look like human mad cow in the UK i.e. the (nvCJD). however, I believe that BSE has been in the USA untested and undocumented for years. why on earth then does the USDA refuse to allow creekstone or anyone else test their product? simple, if you don't look/test, you don't find.
ONE only has to read how the USDA et al have legally blocked, blundered, botched, mismanaged, bungled, floundered, and flat out manipulated, the testing in the infamous June 2004 enhanced cover-up program for mad cow surveillance and testing. I mean, I am not really to hip on THE INDUSTRY, testing for mad cow disease, and what that program might consist of, but anything is better than nothing at all. ...
BSE BASE MAD COW TESTING TEXAS, USA, AND CANADA
http://madcowtesting.blogspot.com/
MAD COW DISEASE terminology UK c-BSE (typical), atypical BSE H or L, and or Italian L-BASE
http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2008/03/mad-cow-disease-terminology-uk-c-bse.html
In 2007, in one weekly enforcement report, the fda recalled 10,000,000+ pounds of BANNED MAD COW FEED, 'in commerce', and i can tell you that most of it was fed out ;
10,000,000+ LBS. of PROHIBITED BANNED MAD COW FEED I.E. MBM IN COMMERCE USA 2007
Date: March 21, 2007 at 2:27 pm PST REASON Blood meal used to make cattle feed was recalled because it was cross-contaminated with prohibited bovine meat and bone meal that had been manufactured on common equipment and labeling did not bear cautionary BSE statement. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 42,090 lbs. DISTRIBUTION WI
REASON Products manufactured from bulk feed containing blood meal that was cross contaminated with prohibited meat and bone meal and the labeling did not bear cautionary BSE statement. VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE 9,997,976 lbs. DISTRIBUTION ID and NV
END OF ENFORCEMENT REPORT FOR MARCH 21, 2007
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/EnforcementReports/2007/ucm120446.htm
Subject: MAD COW FEED RECALL USA SEPT 6, 2006 1961.72 TONS IN COMMERCE AL, TN, AND WV Date: September 6, 2006 at 7:58 am PST
snip... see listings and references of enormous amounts of banned mad cow protein 'in commerce' in 2006 and 2005 ;
see full text ;
Friday, April 25, 2008
Substances Prohibited From Use in Animal Food or Feed [Docket No. 2002N-0273] (Formerly Docket No. 02N-0273) RIN 0910-AF46
http://madcowfeed.blogspot.com/2008/04/substances-prohibited-from-use-in.html
SPECIFIED RISK MATERIALS
http://madcowspontaneousnot.blogspot.com/2008/02/specified-risk-materials-srm.html
SRM MAD COW RECALL 406 THOUSAND POUNDS CATTLE HEADS WITH TONSILS KANSAS
http://cjdmadcowbaseoct2007.blogspot.com/2008/04/srm-mad-cow-recall-406-thousand-pounds.html
Sunday, April 20, 2008 Progress Report from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center April 3, 2008
Atypical forms of BSE have emerged which, although rare, appear to be more virulent than the classical BSE that causes vCJD.
see full text ;
http://prionunitusaupdate2008.blogspot.com/2008/04/progress-report-from-national-prion.html
CJD TEXAS (cjd clusters)
http://cjdtexas.blogspot.com/
CJD USA RISING
The statistical incidence of CJD cases in the United States has been ***revised to reflect that there is one case per 9000 in adults age 55 and older. Eighty-five percent of the cases are sporadic, meaning there is no known cause at present.
http://www.cjdfoundation.org/fact.html
Communicated by: Terry S. Singeltary Sr.
[In submitting these data, Terry S. Singeltary Sr. draws attention to the steady increase in the "type unknown" category, which, according to their definition, comprises cases in which vCJD could be excluded. The total of 26 cases for the current year (2007) is disturbing, possibly symptomatic of the circulation of novel agents. Characterization of these agents should be given a high priority. - Mod.CP]
http://pro-med.blogspot.com/2007/11/proahedr-prion-disease-update-2007-07.html
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1001:6833194127530602005::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1010,39963
There is a growing number of human CJD cases, and they were presented last week in San Francisco by Luigi Gambatti(?) from his CJD surveillance collection.
He estimates that it may be up to 14 or 15 persons which display selectively SPRPSC and practically no detected RPRPSC proteins.
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/1006-4240t1.htm
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/2006-4240t1.pdf
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
MARCH 26, 2003
RE-Monitoring the occurrence of emerging forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease in the United States
Email Terry S. Singeltary:
flounder@wt.net
I lost my mother to hvCJD (Heidenhain Variant CJD). I would like to comment on the CDC's attempts to monitor the occurrence of emerging forms of CJD. Asante, Collinge et al [1] have reported that BSE transmission to the 129-methionine genotype can lead to an alternate phenotype that is indistinguishable from type 2 PrPSc, the commonest sporadic CJD. However, CJD and all human TSEs are not reportable nationally. CJD and all human TSEs must be made reportable in every state and internationally. I hope that the CDC does not continue to expect us to still believe that the 85%+ of all CJD cases which are sporadic are all spontaneous, without route/source. We have many TSEs in the USA in both animal and man. CWD in deer/elk is spreading rapidly and CWD does transmit to mink, ferret, cattle, and squirrel monkey b y intracerebral inoculation. With the known incubation periods in other TSEs, oral transmission studies of CWD may take much longer. Every victim/family of CJD/TSEs should be asked about route and source of this agent. To prolong this will only spread the agent and needlessly expose others. In light of the findings of Asante and Collinge et al, there should be drastic measures to safeguard the medical and surgical arena from sporadic CJDs and all human TSEs. I only ponder how many sporadic CJDs in the USA are type 2 PrPSc?
http://www.neurology.org/cgi/eletters/60/2/176#535
THE PATHOLOGICAL PROTEIN
Hardcover, 304 pages plus photos and illustrations. ISBN 0-387-95508-9
June 2003
BY Philip Yam
CHAPTER 14 LAYING ODDS
Answering critics like Terry Singeltary, who feels that the U.S. under- counts CJD, Schonberger conceded that the current surveillance system has errors but stated that most of the errors will be confined to the older population.
http://www.thepathologicalprotein.com/
Diagnosis and Reporting of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Singeltary, Sr et al. JAMA.2001; 285: 733-734. Vol. 285 No. 6, February 14, 2001 JAMA
Diagnosis and Reporting of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
To the Editor: In their Research Letter, Dr Gibbons and colleagues1 reported that the annual US death rate due to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) has been stable since 1985. These estimates, however, are based only on reported cases, and do not include misdiagnosed or preclinical cases. It seems to me that misdiagnosis alone would drastically change these figures. An unknown number of persons with a diagnosis of Alzheimer disease in fact may have CJD, although only a small number of these patients receive the postmortem examination necessary to make this diagnosis. Furthermore, only a few states have made CJD reportable. Human and animal transmissible spongiform encephalopathies should be reportable nationwide and internationally.
Terry S. Singeltary, Sr Bacliff, Tex
1. Gibbons RV, Holman RC, Belay ED, Schonberger LB. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the United States: 1979-1998. JAMA. 2000;284:2322-2323. FREE FULL TEXT
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/extract/285/6/733?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=singeltary&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/285/6/733?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=singeltary&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT
2 January 2000
British Medical Journal U.S. Scientist should be concerned with a CJD epidemic in the U.S., as well
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/320/7226/8/b#6117
15 November 1999
British Medical Journal vCJD in the USA * BSE in U.S.
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/319/7220/1312/b#5406
Over the next 8-10 weeks, approximately 40% of all the adult mink on the farm died from TME. Since previous incidences of TME were associated with common or shared feeding practices, we obtained a careful history of feed ingredients used over the past 12-18 months. The rancher was a "dead stock" feeder using mostly (>95%) downer or dead dairy cattle and a few horses. Sheep had never been fed.
http://web.archive.org/web/20030331063559/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09a/tab01.pdf
http://web.archive.org/web/20030516051623/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09/tab05.pdf
USDA CERTIFIED DEAD STOCK DOWNER COW SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM for children
please note, dead stock downer cattle i.e. non-ambulatory, are the most likely to have mad cow disease.
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/04/gao-report-on-humane-methods-of.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-certified-dead-stock-downer-cow.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-still-pandering-to-industry-still_27.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-still-pandering-to-industry-still.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/recalled-beef-from-chino-slaughterhouse.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/mad-cow-disease-typical-vs-atypical.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/downer-cow-blues-senators-want.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/mr-will-hueston-dvm-on-school-lunch.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/california-downer-cow-meat-worker-i-was.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-questions-and-answers.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-to-hallmark-we-want-our-plaque.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/house-committee-subpoenas.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/california-lists-possible-recipients-of.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/to-hard-working-employees-of-usda-and.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/beef-recall-nationwide-school-lunch.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/transcript-technical-briefing.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-still-pandering-to-industry-still.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/05/humane-society-releases-new-video-of.html
GAO REPORT ON HUMANE METHODS OF HANDLING AND SLAUGHTER I.E. DOWNER COW SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM
What GAO Found
April 17, 2008
HUMANE METHODS OF HANDLING AND SLAUGHTER
see full text 18 pages ;
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08686t.pdf
Thu Dec 6, 2007 11:38
FDA IN CRISIS MODE, AMERICAN LIVES AT RISK
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/fs/food-disease/news/dec0407fda.html
FDA SCIENCE AND MISSION AT RISK
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/07/briefing/2007-4329b_02_01_FDA%20Report%20on%20Science%20and%20Technology.pdf
[Docket No. 03-025IFA] FSIS Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirement for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle 9/13/2005
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/Comments/03-025IFA/03-025IFA-2.pdf
3. Prof. A. Robertson gave a brief account of BSE. The US approach was to accord it a _very low profile indeed_. Dr. A Thiermann showed the picture in the ''Independent'' with cattle being incinerated and thought this was a fanatical incident to be _avoided_ in the US _at all costs_ $
http://collections.europarchive.org/tna/20080102193705/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m11b/tab01.pdf
Attachment to Singeltary comment
January 28, 2007
Greetings APHIS,
I would kindly like to submit the following to ;
BSE; MRR; IMPORTATION OF LIVE BOVINES AND PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM BOVINES [Docket No. APHIS-2006-0041] RIN 0579-AC01
[Federal Register: January 9, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 5)] [Proposed Rules] [Page 1101-1129] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr09ja07-21]
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocumentDetail&o=09000064801f8152
BSE; MRR; IMPORTATION OF LIVE BOVINES AND PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM BOVINES [Docket No. APHIS-2006-0041] RIN 0579-AC01 Date: January 9, 2007 at 9:08 am PST
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocumentDetail&o=09000064801f3412
[Docket No. FSIS-2006-0011] FSIS Harvard Risk Assessment of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/Comments/2006-0011/2006-0011-1.pdf
APHIS-2006-0041-0006 TSE advisory committee for the meeting December 15, 2006
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/ContentViewer?objectId=09000064801f3413&disposition=attachment&contentType=msw8
NOR-98 ATYPICAL SCRAPIE 5 cases documented in USA in 5 different states USA 007
http://nor-98.blogspot.com/2008/04/seac-spongiform-encephalopathy-advisory.html
http://nor-98.blogspot.com/
SCRAPIE USA
http://scrapie-usa.blogspot.com/
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/
Thursday, April 03, 2008
A prion disease of cervids: Chronic wasting disease 2008
http://chronic-wasting-disease.blogspot.com/2008/04/prion-disease-of-cervids-chronic.html
Transmissible Mink Encephalopathy TME
http://transmissible-mink-encephalopathy.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Interference at the EPA - Science and Politics at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
please see full text ;
http://sciencebushwhacked.blogspot.com/
still disgusted in Bacliff, Texas USA
Terry S. Singeltary Sr. P.O. Box 42 Bacliff, Texas USA 77518
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Humane Society releases new video of mistreated livestock downed cows "Every place that we looked, we found downed animals,"
Link: http://www.usda.gov/2008/05/0121.xml
Release No. 0121.08 Contact: USDA Office of Communications (202)720-4623
Statement by USDA Secretary Ed Schafer on HSUS Animal Cruelty Video
WASHINGTON, D.C. May 7, 2008 "Late last week, the Humane Society of the United States notified me that they were in the early stages of an investigation into the mistreatment of farm animals transported to livestock auctions and stockyards. The dairy cattle shown in the video were non-ambulatory and were abandoned in parking lots of these auctions and yards. These animals were not in slaughter facilities. However, even though this is not a food safety issue, these actions of animal cruelty are not acceptable.
"USDA's authority to regulate the treatment of animals includes the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act and the Animal Welfare Act. The Humane Methods of Slaughter Act protects animals when they are presented for slaughter at federally inspected establishments. The Animal Welfare Act allows us to ensure the proper care of live animals when used in biomedical research, testing, and exhibition. When animals fall within our authorities, USDA has acted to prevent animal cruelty such as this.
Policies for humane handling of animals, however, consist of a combined effort of federal, state, and local authorities, as well as private industry. Since learning about this investigation, we are reaching out to states and industry groups to address this issue.
"In my conversation with the Humane Society last week, I expressed my sincere desire to work with them to resolve these atrocities, and I trust USDA was given all the information HSUS has on this issue so we can thoroughly address it. It is essential that we work together in good faith to address these issues, and ensure that animals are treated with care and dignity."
# USDA News oc.news@usda.gov 202 720-4623
======================================
May 7, 2008, 2:44PM
Humane Society releases new video of mistreated livestock
By NATASHA T. METZLER Associated Press Writer © 2008 The Associated Press
TOOLS Email Get section feed Print Recommend Comments Yahoo! Buzz WASHINGTON — The Humane Society of the United States released video footage Wednesday of sick and injured livestock the group says were mistreated at auction sites and stockyards where cattle are sold for slaughter.
The group released videos shot during April and May showing downed cows abandoned for hours at facilities in Maryland, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Texas. The video was posted on the group's Web site.
"We found downed cows in a state of ill health, with no relief provided to the animals," said Wayne Pacelle, the organization's president and chief executive.
Downed cattle may pose a higher risk of contamination from E. coli, salmonella or mad cow disease because they typically wallow in feces and their immune systems are often weak.
Pacelle said there is no indication the downed cows his group filmed entered the food supply. But he added that the videos point out that auction sites fall between regulatory cracks, raising concern that a downed cow could potentially leave a facility and enter the food supply.
"Every place that we looked, we found downed animals," he said. "No one is watching. No one is taking responsibility for these animals."
The footage shows two downed cows at a site in Hereford, Texas; a downed cow that was left overnight outside an auction facility's barn in Westminster, Md.; two downed cows in at a site Clovis, N.M.; and a downed calf in Greencastle, Pa. In the Maryland case, investigators called the local Humane Society the next morning to euthanize the cow that spent the night behind the barn.
Pacelle said his organization had received a complaint about the Texas facility and had long-standing concerns about the Pennsylvania site. He said the New Mexico facility was chosen because it was close to Hereford and the Maryland auction because it was close to Washington.
"We intend to work immediately with the businesses where the improper handling reportedly occurred," Jim Santomaso, president of industry trade group the Livestock Marketing Association, said in a statement. "LMA shares everyone's interest in promoting the proper care and handling of all livestock, at all stages of their life."
A graphic videotape made inside a California slaughterhouse released by the same group in January led to the nation's largest beef recall.
The United States Department of Agriculture did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
___
On the Net: http://video.hsus.org/
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/business/5761660.html
IF you think that the USDA et al ordered the largest beef recall in history (some 143 million pounds), just over a couple abused animals, and that it was not a public health issue, i am hear to tell you, that is incorrect.
USDA DEAD STOCK DOWNER COW SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM i.e. non-ambulatory, the most high risk cow for BSE typical or atypical TSE (last two cows that were documented in the USA i.e. Texas and Alabama both were of the atypical BSE. please note ;
"Atypical forms of BSE have emerged which, although rare, appear to be more virulent than the classical BSE that causes vCJD."
Progress Report from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center An Update from Stephen M. Sergay, MB, BCh & Pierluigi Gambetti, MD April 3, 2008
please see full text with additional comments and links @ ;
http://prionunitusaupdate2008.blogspot.com/
Sunday, March 16, 2008
MAD COW DISEASE terminology UK c-BSE (typical), atypical BSE H or L, and or Italian L-BASE
http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2008/03/mad-cow-disease-terminology-uk-c-bse.html
IS THERE A SCRAPIE-LIKE DISEASE IN CATTLE ?
In April of 1985, a mink rancher in Wisconsin reported a debilitating neurologic disease in his herd which we diagnosed as TME by histopathologic findings confirmed by experimental transmission to mink and squirrel monkeys. The rancher was a ''dead stock'' feeder using mostly (>95%) downer or dead dairy cattle and a few horses. She had never been fed.
We believe that these findings may indicate the presence of a previously unrecognized scrapie-like disease in cattle and wish to alert dairy practitioners to this possibility.
snip...
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH ANNUAL WESTERN CONFERENCE FOR FOOD ANIMAL VETERINARY MEDICINE, University of Arizona, March 17-19, 1986
http://web.archive.org/web/20030331063559/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09a/tab01.pdf
http://web.archive.org/web/20030516051623/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09/tab05.pdf
USDA DEAD STOCK DOWNER COW SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/04/gao-report-on-humane-methods-of.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-certified-dead-stock-downer-cow.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-still-pandering-to-industry-still_27.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-still-pandering-to-industry-still.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/recalled-beef-from-chino-slaughterhouse.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/mad-cow-disease-typical-vs-atypical.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/downer-cow-blues-senators-want.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/mr-will-hueston-dvm-on-school-lunch.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/california-downer-cow-meat-worker-i-was.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-questions-and-answers.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-to-hallmark-we-want-our-plaque.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/house-committee-subpoenas.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/california-lists-possible-recipients-of.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/to-hard-working-employees-of-usda-and.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/beef-recall-nationwide-school-lunch.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/transcript-technical-briefing.html
[Docket No. 03-025IFA] FSIS Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirement for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle
03-025IFA 03-025IFA-2 Terry S. Singeltary
9/13/2005
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/Comments/03-025IFA/03-025IFA-2.pdf
[Docket No. FSIS-2006-0011] FSIS Harvard Risk Assessment of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/Comments/2006-0011/2006-0011-1.pdf
second line of lies... i mean defense i.e. fda mad cow feed ban ;
Friday, April 25, 2008
Substances Prohibited From Use in Animal Food or Feed [Docket No. 2002N-0273] (Formerly Docket No. 02N-0273) RIN 0910-AF46
http://madcowfeed.blogspot.com/2008/04/substances-prohibited-from-use-in.html
Thursday, May 1, 2008
DEAD STOCK DOWNER COW BAN i.e. non-ambulatory policy still not changed by USDA May 1, 2008
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/05/dead-stock-downer-cow-ban-ie-non.html
Monday, May 5, 2008
STATEMENT OF DR. RICHARD RAYMOND USDA UNDERSECRETARY FOR FOOD SAFETY Regarding the Safety of the U.S. Food Supply
May 4, 2008
“Good evening. I am Dr. Richard Raymond, Under Secretary for Food Safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss with you the safety of the U.S. beef supply. I want to be sure that you are aware that I will be discussing food safety issues only, and I am not here this evening to discuss negotiations. “The U.S. Government believes the current agreement well addresses the health and food safety concerns of Korean consumers. It provides for Korea's sovereign right to conduct an audit of our facilities and to work with USDA inspection authorities if any food safety concerns are identified. When the OIE gave the United States "controlled risk" status a year ago, it was after the world's BSE experts reviewed the preventative and food safety measures in the United States. “Since the requirements to export to Korea are consistent with science, U.S. requirements as well as those of the OIE require that if any food safety concern is found, it would be fully investigated and immediately corrected by USDA. “I want to assure all consumers – both domestic and abroad – that the U.S. beef supply is among the safest in the world. ...
please see full text with some additional information the good Dr. Raymond seems to have forgotten about ;
http://usdameatexport.blogspot.com/2008/05/statement-of-dr-richard-raymond-usda.html
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Interference at the EPA - Science and Politics at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
please see full text ;
http://sciencebushwhacked.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Health group urges overhaul of US food safety system Calling the US food safety system antiquated and disjointed, a public health advocacy group today urged a major overhaul to make the system stronger, more coherent, and better attuned to today's major threats.
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/fs/food-disease/news/apr3008tfah.html
Thu Dec 6, 2007 11:38
FDA IN CRISIS MODE, AMERICAN LIVES AT RISK
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/fs/food-disease/news/dec0407fda.html
FDA SCIENCE AND MISSION AT RISK
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/07/briefing/2007-4329b_02_01_FDA%20Report%20on%20Science%20and%20Technology.pdf
CJD USA RISING
*Acquired in UK ** Acquired in Saudi Arabia *** Includes 17 inconclusive and 9 pending (1 from 2006, 8 from 2007. **** Includes 17 non-vCJD type unknown (2 from 1996, 2 from 1997, 1 from 2001, 1 from 2003, 4 from 2004, 3 from 2005, 4 from 2006) and 36 type pending (2 from 2005, 8 from 2006, 26 from 2007).
Notes:
-- Cases are listed based on the year of death when available. If the year of death is not available, the year of sample receipt is used.
-- Referrals: Cases with possible or probable prion disease from which brain tissue or blood in the case of familial disease were submitted.
-- Inconclusive: Cases in which the samples were not sufficient to make a diagnosis.
-- Non-vCJD type unknown are cases in which the tissue submitted was adequate to establish the presence but not the type; in all cases, vCJD could be excluded.
-- Communicated by: Terry S. Singeltary Sr.
[In submitting these data, Terry S. Singeltary Sr. draws attention to the steady increase in the "type unknown" category, which, according to their definition, comprises cases in which vCJD could be excluded. The total of 26 cases for the current year (2007) is disturbing, possibly symptomatic of the circulation of novel agents. Characterization of these agents should be given a high priority. - Mod.CP]
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1001:6833194127530602005::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1010,39963
There is a growing number of human CJD cases, and they were presented last week in San Francisco by Luigi Gambatti(?) from his CJD surveillance collection.
He estimates that it may be up to 14 or 15 persons which display selectively SPRPSC and practically no detected RPRPSC proteins.
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/1006-4240t1.htm
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/2006-4240t1.pdf
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
MARCH 26, 2003
RE-Monitoring the occurrence of emerging forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease in the United States
Email Terry S. Singeltary:
flounder@wt.net
I lost my mother to hvCJD (Heidenhain Variant CJD). I would like to comment on the CDC's attempts to monitor the occurrence of emerging forms of CJD. Asante, Collinge et al [1] have reported that BSE transmission to the 129-methionine genotype can lead to an alternate phenotype that is indistinguishable from type 2 PrPSc, the commonest sporadic CJD. However, CJD and all human TSEs are not reportable nationally. CJD and all human TSEs must be made reportable in every state and internationally. I hope that the CDC does not continue to expect us to still believe that the 85%+ of all CJD cases which are sporadic are all spontaneous, without route/source. We have many TSEs in the USA in both animal and man. CWD in deer/elk is spreading rapidly and CWD does transmit to mink, ferret, cattle, and squirrel monkey by intracerebral inoculation. With the known incubation periods in other TSEs, oral transmission studies of CWD may take much longer. Every victim/family of CJD/TSEs should be asked about route and source of this agent. To prolong this will only spread the agent and needlessly expose others. In light of the findings of Asante and Collinge et al, there should be drastic measures to safeguard the medical and surgical arena from sporadic CJDs and all human TSEs. I only ponder how many sporadic CJDs in the USA are type 2 PrPSc?
http://www.neurology.org/cgi/eletters/60/2/176#535
THE PATHOLOGICAL PROTEIN
Hardcover, 304 pages plus photos and illustrations. ISBN 0-387-95508-9
June 2003
BY Philip Yam
CHAPTER 14 LAYING ODDS
Answering critics like Terry Singeltary, who feels that the U.S. under- counts CJD, Schonberger conceded that the current surveillance system has errors but stated that most of the errors will be confined to the older population.
http://www.thepathologicalprotein.com/
2007-2008
The statistical incidence of CJD cases in the United States has been revised to reflect that there is one case per 9000 in adults age 55 and older. Eighty-five percent of the cases are sporadic, meaning there is no known cause at present.
http://www.cjdfoundation.org/fact.html
In this context, a word is in order about the US testing program. After the discovery of the first (imported) cow in 2003, the magnitude of testing was much increased, reaching a level of >400,000 tests in 2005 (Figure 4). Neither of the 2 more recently indigenously infected older animals with nonspecific clinical features would have been detected without such testing, and neither would have been identified as atypical without confirmatory Western blots. Despite these facts, surveillance has now been decimated to 40,000 annual tests (USDA news release no. 0255.06, July 20, 2006) and invites the accusation that the United States will never know the true status of its involvement with BSE.
In short, a great deal of further work will need to be done before the phenotypic features and prevalence of atypical BSE are understood. More than a single strain may have been present from the beginning of the epidemic, but this possibility has been overlooked by virtue of the absence of widespread Western blot confirmatory testing of positive screening test results; or these new phenotypes may be found, at least in part, to result from infections at an older age by a typical BSE agent, rather than neonatal infections with new "strains" of BSE. Neither alternative has yet been investigated.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no12/06-0965.htm
CDC DR. PAUL BROWN TSE EXPERT COMMENTS 2006
The U.S. Department of Agriculture was quick to assure the public earlier this week that the third case of mad cow disease did not pose a risk to them, but what federal officials have not acknowledged is that this latest case indicates the deadly disease has been circulating in U.S. herds for at least a decade.
The second case, which was detected last year in a Texas cow and which USDA officials were reluctant to verify, was approximately 12 years old.
These two cases (the latest was detected in an Alabama cow) present a picture of the disease having been here for 10 years or so, since it is thought that cows usually contract the disease from contaminated feed they consume as calves. The concern is that humans can contract a fatal, incurable, brain-wasting illness from consuming beef products contaminated with the mad cow pathogen.
"The fact the Texas cow showed up fairly clearly implied the existence of other undetected cases," Dr. Paul Brown, former medical director of the National Institutes of Health's Laboratory for Central Nervous System Studies and an expert on mad cow-like diseases, told United Press International. "The question was, 'How many?' and we still can't answer that."
Brown, who is preparing a scientific paper based on the latest two mad cow cases to estimate the maximum number of infected cows that occurred in the United States, said he has "absolutely no confidence in USDA tests before one year ago" because of the agency's reluctance to retest the Texas cow that initially tested positive.
USDA officials finally retested the cow and confirmed it was infected seven months later, but only at the insistence of the agency's inspector general.
"Everything they did on the Texas cow makes everything USDA did before 2005 suspect," Brown said. ...snip...end
http://www.upi.com/
CDC - Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy and Variant Creutzfeldt ... Dr. Paul Brown is Senior Research Scientist in the Laboratory of Central Nervous System ... Address for correspondence: Paul Brown, Building 36, Room 4A-05, ...
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no1/brown.htm
PAUL BROWN COMMENT TO ME ON THIS ISSUE
Tuesday, September 12, 2006 11:10 AM
"Actually, Terry, I have been critical of the USDA handling of the mad cow issue for some years, and with Linda Detwiler and others sent lengthy detailed critiques and recommendations to both the USDA and the Canadian Food Agency."
http://lists.iatp.org/listarchive/archive.cfm?listID=147&startrow=1081
Thursday, April 24, 2008
RE-FOIA OF DECLARATION OF EXTRAORDINARY EMERGENCY BECAUSE OF AN ATYPICAL T.S.E. OF FOREIGN ORIGIN IN THE UNITED STATES [Docket No. 00-072-1]
http://foiamadsheepmadrivervalley.blogspot.com/2008/04/re-foia-of-declaration-of-extraordinary.html
Terry S. Singeltary Sr.
P.O. Box 42
Bacliff, Texas USA 77518
Release No. 0121.08 Contact: USDA Office of Communications (202)720-4623
Statement by USDA Secretary Ed Schafer on HSUS Animal Cruelty Video
WASHINGTON, D.C. May 7, 2008 "Late last week, the Humane Society of the United States notified me that they were in the early stages of an investigation into the mistreatment of farm animals transported to livestock auctions and stockyards. The dairy cattle shown in the video were non-ambulatory and were abandoned in parking lots of these auctions and yards. These animals were not in slaughter facilities. However, even though this is not a food safety issue, these actions of animal cruelty are not acceptable.
"USDA's authority to regulate the treatment of animals includes the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act and the Animal Welfare Act. The Humane Methods of Slaughter Act protects animals when they are presented for slaughter at federally inspected establishments. The Animal Welfare Act allows us to ensure the proper care of live animals when used in biomedical research, testing, and exhibition. When animals fall within our authorities, USDA has acted to prevent animal cruelty such as this.
Policies for humane handling of animals, however, consist of a combined effort of federal, state, and local authorities, as well as private industry. Since learning about this investigation, we are reaching out to states and industry groups to address this issue.
"In my conversation with the Humane Society last week, I expressed my sincere desire to work with them to resolve these atrocities, and I trust USDA was given all the information HSUS has on this issue so we can thoroughly address it. It is essential that we work together in good faith to address these issues, and ensure that animals are treated with care and dignity."
# USDA News oc.news@usda.gov 202 720-4623
======================================
May 7, 2008, 2:44PM
Humane Society releases new video of mistreated livestock
By NATASHA T. METZLER Associated Press Writer © 2008 The Associated Press
TOOLS Email Get section feed Print Recommend Comments Yahoo! Buzz WASHINGTON — The Humane Society of the United States released video footage Wednesday of sick and injured livestock the group says were mistreated at auction sites and stockyards where cattle are sold for slaughter.
The group released videos shot during April and May showing downed cows abandoned for hours at facilities in Maryland, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Texas. The video was posted on the group's Web site.
"We found downed cows in a state of ill health, with no relief provided to the animals," said Wayne Pacelle, the organization's president and chief executive.
Downed cattle may pose a higher risk of contamination from E. coli, salmonella or mad cow disease because they typically wallow in feces and their immune systems are often weak.
Pacelle said there is no indication the downed cows his group filmed entered the food supply. But he added that the videos point out that auction sites fall between regulatory cracks, raising concern that a downed cow could potentially leave a facility and enter the food supply.
"Every place that we looked, we found downed animals," he said. "No one is watching. No one is taking responsibility for these animals."
The footage shows two downed cows at a site in Hereford, Texas; a downed cow that was left overnight outside an auction facility's barn in Westminster, Md.; two downed cows in at a site Clovis, N.M.; and a downed calf in Greencastle, Pa. In the Maryland case, investigators called the local Humane Society the next morning to euthanize the cow that spent the night behind the barn.
Pacelle said his organization had received a complaint about the Texas facility and had long-standing concerns about the Pennsylvania site. He said the New Mexico facility was chosen because it was close to Hereford and the Maryland auction because it was close to Washington.
"We intend to work immediately with the businesses where the improper handling reportedly occurred," Jim Santomaso, president of industry trade group the Livestock Marketing Association, said in a statement. "LMA shares everyone's interest in promoting the proper care and handling of all livestock, at all stages of their life."
A graphic videotape made inside a California slaughterhouse released by the same group in January led to the nation's largest beef recall.
The United States Department of Agriculture did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
___
On the Net: http://video.hsus.org/
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/business/5761660.html
IF you think that the USDA et al ordered the largest beef recall in history (some 143 million pounds), just over a couple abused animals, and that it was not a public health issue, i am hear to tell you, that is incorrect.
USDA DEAD STOCK DOWNER COW SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM i.e. non-ambulatory, the most high risk cow for BSE typical or atypical TSE (last two cows that were documented in the USA i.e. Texas and Alabama both were of the atypical BSE. please note ;
"Atypical forms of BSE have emerged which, although rare, appear to be more virulent than the classical BSE that causes vCJD."
Progress Report from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center An Update from Stephen M. Sergay, MB, BCh & Pierluigi Gambetti, MD April 3, 2008
please see full text with additional comments and links @ ;
http://prionunitusaupdate2008.blogspot.com/
Sunday, March 16, 2008
MAD COW DISEASE terminology UK c-BSE (typical), atypical BSE H or L, and or Italian L-BASE
http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2008/03/mad-cow-disease-terminology-uk-c-bse.html
IS THERE A SCRAPIE-LIKE DISEASE IN CATTLE ?
In April of 1985, a mink rancher in Wisconsin reported a debilitating neurologic disease in his herd which we diagnosed as TME by histopathologic findings confirmed by experimental transmission to mink and squirrel monkeys. The rancher was a ''dead stock'' feeder using mostly (>95%) downer or dead dairy cattle and a few horses. She had never been fed.
We believe that these findings may indicate the presence of a previously unrecognized scrapie-like disease in cattle and wish to alert dairy practitioners to this possibility.
snip...
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH ANNUAL WESTERN CONFERENCE FOR FOOD ANIMAL VETERINARY MEDICINE, University of Arizona, March 17-19, 1986
http://web.archive.org/web/20030331063559/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09a/tab01.pdf
http://web.archive.org/web/20030516051623/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09/tab05.pdf
USDA DEAD STOCK DOWNER COW SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/04/gao-report-on-humane-methods-of.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-certified-dead-stock-downer-cow.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-still-pandering-to-industry-still_27.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-still-pandering-to-industry-still.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/recalled-beef-from-chino-slaughterhouse.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/mad-cow-disease-typical-vs-atypical.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/downer-cow-blues-senators-want.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/mr-will-hueston-dvm-on-school-lunch.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/california-downer-cow-meat-worker-i-was.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-questions-and-answers.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-to-hallmark-we-want-our-plaque.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/house-committee-subpoenas.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/california-lists-possible-recipients-of.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/to-hard-working-employees-of-usda-and.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/beef-recall-nationwide-school-lunch.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/transcript-technical-briefing.html
[Docket No. 03-025IFA] FSIS Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirement for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle
03-025IFA 03-025IFA-2 Terry S. Singeltary
9/13/2005
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/Comments/03-025IFA/03-025IFA-2.pdf
[Docket No. FSIS-2006-0011] FSIS Harvard Risk Assessment of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/Comments/2006-0011/2006-0011-1.pdf
second line of lies... i mean defense i.e. fda mad cow feed ban ;
Friday, April 25, 2008
Substances Prohibited From Use in Animal Food or Feed [Docket No. 2002N-0273] (Formerly Docket No. 02N-0273) RIN 0910-AF46
http://madcowfeed.blogspot.com/2008/04/substances-prohibited-from-use-in.html
Thursday, May 1, 2008
DEAD STOCK DOWNER COW BAN i.e. non-ambulatory policy still not changed by USDA May 1, 2008
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/05/dead-stock-downer-cow-ban-ie-non.html
Monday, May 5, 2008
STATEMENT OF DR. RICHARD RAYMOND USDA UNDERSECRETARY FOR FOOD SAFETY Regarding the Safety of the U.S. Food Supply
May 4, 2008
“Good evening. I am Dr. Richard Raymond, Under Secretary for Food Safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss with you the safety of the U.S. beef supply. I want to be sure that you are aware that I will be discussing food safety issues only, and I am not here this evening to discuss negotiations. “The U.S. Government believes the current agreement well addresses the health and food safety concerns of Korean consumers. It provides for Korea's sovereign right to conduct an audit of our facilities and to work with USDA inspection authorities if any food safety concerns are identified. When the OIE gave the United States "controlled risk" status a year ago, it was after the world's BSE experts reviewed the preventative and food safety measures in the United States. “Since the requirements to export to Korea are consistent with science, U.S. requirements as well as those of the OIE require that if any food safety concern is found, it would be fully investigated and immediately corrected by USDA. “I want to assure all consumers – both domestic and abroad – that the U.S. beef supply is among the safest in the world. ...
please see full text with some additional information the good Dr. Raymond seems to have forgotten about ;
http://usdameatexport.blogspot.com/2008/05/statement-of-dr-richard-raymond-usda.html
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Interference at the EPA - Science and Politics at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
please see full text ;
http://sciencebushwhacked.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Health group urges overhaul of US food safety system Calling the US food safety system antiquated and disjointed, a public health advocacy group today urged a major overhaul to make the system stronger, more coherent, and better attuned to today's major threats.
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/fs/food-disease/news/apr3008tfah.html
Thu Dec 6, 2007 11:38
FDA IN CRISIS MODE, AMERICAN LIVES AT RISK
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/fs/food-disease/news/dec0407fda.html
FDA SCIENCE AND MISSION AT RISK
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/07/briefing/2007-4329b_02_01_FDA%20Report%20on%20Science%20and%20Technology.pdf
CJD USA RISING
*Acquired in UK ** Acquired in Saudi Arabia *** Includes 17 inconclusive and 9 pending (1 from 2006, 8 from 2007. **** Includes 17 non-vCJD type unknown (2 from 1996, 2 from 1997, 1 from 2001, 1 from 2003, 4 from 2004, 3 from 2005, 4 from 2006) and 36 type pending (2 from 2005, 8 from 2006, 26 from 2007).
Notes:
-- Cases are listed based on the year of death when available. If the year of death is not available, the year of sample receipt is used.
-- Referrals: Cases with possible or probable prion disease from which brain tissue or blood in the case of familial disease were submitted.
-- Inconclusive: Cases in which the samples were not sufficient to make a diagnosis.
-- Non-vCJD type unknown are cases in which the tissue submitted was adequate to establish the presence but not the type; in all cases, vCJD could be excluded.
-- Communicated by: Terry S. Singeltary Sr.
[In submitting these data, Terry S. Singeltary Sr. draws attention to the steady increase in the "type unknown" category, which, according to their definition, comprises cases in which vCJD could be excluded. The total of 26 cases for the current year (2007) is disturbing, possibly symptomatic of the circulation of novel agents. Characterization of these agents should be given a high priority. - Mod.CP]
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1001:6833194127530602005::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1010,39963
There is a growing number of human CJD cases, and they were presented last week in San Francisco by Luigi Gambatti(?) from his CJD surveillance collection.
He estimates that it may be up to 14 or 15 persons which display selectively SPRPSC and practically no detected RPRPSC proteins.
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/1006-4240t1.htm
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/2006-4240t1.pdf
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
MARCH 26, 2003
RE-Monitoring the occurrence of emerging forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease in the United States
Email Terry S. Singeltary:
flounder@wt.net
I lost my mother to hvCJD (Heidenhain Variant CJD). I would like to comment on the CDC's attempts to monitor the occurrence of emerging forms of CJD. Asante, Collinge et al [1] have reported that BSE transmission to the 129-methionine genotype can lead to an alternate phenotype that is indistinguishable from type 2 PrPSc, the commonest sporadic CJD. However, CJD and all human TSEs are not reportable nationally. CJD and all human TSEs must be made reportable in every state and internationally. I hope that the CDC does not continue to expect us to still believe that the 85%+ of all CJD cases which are sporadic are all spontaneous, without route/source. We have many TSEs in the USA in both animal and man. CWD in deer/elk is spreading rapidly and CWD does transmit to mink, ferret, cattle, and squirrel monkey by intracerebral inoculation. With the known incubation periods in other TSEs, oral transmission studies of CWD may take much longer. Every victim/family of CJD/TSEs should be asked about route and source of this agent. To prolong this will only spread the agent and needlessly expose others. In light of the findings of Asante and Collinge et al, there should be drastic measures to safeguard the medical and surgical arena from sporadic CJDs and all human TSEs. I only ponder how many sporadic CJDs in the USA are type 2 PrPSc?
http://www.neurology.org/cgi/eletters/60/2/176#535
THE PATHOLOGICAL PROTEIN
Hardcover, 304 pages plus photos and illustrations. ISBN 0-387-95508-9
June 2003
BY Philip Yam
CHAPTER 14 LAYING ODDS
Answering critics like Terry Singeltary, who feels that the U.S. under- counts CJD, Schonberger conceded that the current surveillance system has errors but stated that most of the errors will be confined to the older population.
http://www.thepathologicalprotein.com/
2007-2008
The statistical incidence of CJD cases in the United States has been revised to reflect that there is one case per 9000 in adults age 55 and older. Eighty-five percent of the cases are sporadic, meaning there is no known cause at present.
http://www.cjdfoundation.org/fact.html
In this context, a word is in order about the US testing program. After the discovery of the first (imported) cow in 2003, the magnitude of testing was much increased, reaching a level of >400,000 tests in 2005 (Figure 4). Neither of the 2 more recently indigenously infected older animals with nonspecific clinical features would have been detected without such testing, and neither would have been identified as atypical without confirmatory Western blots. Despite these facts, surveillance has now been decimated to 40,000 annual tests (USDA news release no. 0255.06, July 20, 2006) and invites the accusation that the United States will never know the true status of its involvement with BSE.
In short, a great deal of further work will need to be done before the phenotypic features and prevalence of atypical BSE are understood. More than a single strain may have been present from the beginning of the epidemic, but this possibility has been overlooked by virtue of the absence of widespread Western blot confirmatory testing of positive screening test results; or these new phenotypes may be found, at least in part, to result from infections at an older age by a typical BSE agent, rather than neonatal infections with new "strains" of BSE. Neither alternative has yet been investigated.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no12/06-0965.htm
CDC DR. PAUL BROWN TSE EXPERT COMMENTS 2006
The U.S. Department of Agriculture was quick to assure the public earlier this week that the third case of mad cow disease did not pose a risk to them, but what federal officials have not acknowledged is that this latest case indicates the deadly disease has been circulating in U.S. herds for at least a decade.
The second case, which was detected last year in a Texas cow and which USDA officials were reluctant to verify, was approximately 12 years old.
These two cases (the latest was detected in an Alabama cow) present a picture of the disease having been here for 10 years or so, since it is thought that cows usually contract the disease from contaminated feed they consume as calves. The concern is that humans can contract a fatal, incurable, brain-wasting illness from consuming beef products contaminated with the mad cow pathogen.
"The fact the Texas cow showed up fairly clearly implied the existence of other undetected cases," Dr. Paul Brown, former medical director of the National Institutes of Health's Laboratory for Central Nervous System Studies and an expert on mad cow-like diseases, told United Press International. "The question was, 'How many?' and we still can't answer that."
Brown, who is preparing a scientific paper based on the latest two mad cow cases to estimate the maximum number of infected cows that occurred in the United States, said he has "absolutely no confidence in USDA tests before one year ago" because of the agency's reluctance to retest the Texas cow that initially tested positive.
USDA officials finally retested the cow and confirmed it was infected seven months later, but only at the insistence of the agency's inspector general.
"Everything they did on the Texas cow makes everything USDA did before 2005 suspect," Brown said. ...snip...end
http://www.upi.com/
CDC - Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy and Variant Creutzfeldt ... Dr. Paul Brown is Senior Research Scientist in the Laboratory of Central Nervous System ... Address for correspondence: Paul Brown, Building 36, Room 4A-05, ...
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no1/brown.htm
PAUL BROWN COMMENT TO ME ON THIS ISSUE
Tuesday, September 12, 2006 11:10 AM
"Actually, Terry, I have been critical of the USDA handling of the mad cow issue for some years, and with Linda Detwiler and others sent lengthy detailed critiques and recommendations to both the USDA and the Canadian Food Agency."
http://lists.iatp.org/listarchive/archive.cfm?listID=147&startrow=1081
Thursday, April 24, 2008
RE-FOIA OF DECLARATION OF EXTRAORDINARY EMERGENCY BECAUSE OF AN ATYPICAL T.S.E. OF FOREIGN ORIGIN IN THE UNITED STATES [Docket No. 00-072-1]
http://foiamadsheepmadrivervalley.blogspot.com/2008/04/re-foia-of-declaration-of-extraordinary.html
Terry S. Singeltary Sr.
P.O. Box 42
Bacliff, Texas USA 77518
Thursday, May 1, 2008
DEAD STOCK DOWNER COW BAN i.e. non-ambulatory policy still not changed by USDA May 1, 2008
DEAD STOCK DOWNER COW BAN i.e. non-ambulatory policy still not changed by USDA
most high risk cattle for BSE Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy
USDA isn't on board with beef industry's downer cow ban
10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, April 29, 2008
By BEN GOAD
Washington Bureau
Special Section: Chino Beef Recall
WASHINGTON - A week after the meat industry called for a ban on downer cows in the nation's food supply, the U.S. Agriculture Department has not agreed to change a policy that allows some sick or injured cows to end up on dinner tables.
Downers -- animals too sick or hurt to stand for slaughter -- are generally prohibited from the food supply, but current rules allow for exceptions. Meat producers fought to preserve those exceptions until last week, when a coalition of major industry groups reversed their position and joined animal advocates and several lawmakers in calling for an absolute ban.
But Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer, who defended the current policy during congressional hearings into the Chino meat recall, has remained silent.
"He's serious about addressing the issue," Agriculture Department spokesman Chris Connelly said Monday. "There's no position being taken right now."
Schafer is mulling a ban as he awaits the results of a federal investigation and audit now being conducted by the Agriculture Department's Office of Inspector General, Connelly said.
Connelly said Schafer is not privy to ongoing developments in the two probes, which are expected to last for months more.
He said a decision on moving forward with a ban could come before they conclude, though he could provide no timeline.
Industry officials said delays are to be expected with any federal rule change and said they've called upon the nation's meat plants to implement a voluntary moratorium on slaughtering downers until a new policy can be enacted.
Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, called the moratorium insufficient and said there is no guarantee that the department will act at all, even with broad support for a halt to the practice. Pacelle said the Agriculture Department should implement an emergency rule to impose a ban at once.
"The USDA should take immediate action to adopt it," Pacelle said. "Downer cows are now regularly getting into the food supply."
Downers are considered more likely to have mad cow disease and other illnesses, and therefore pose a greater threat to people who eat them. The Agriculture Department first began outlawing downer cows from food destined for human consumption in 2004, after a cow in Washington State tested positive for mad cow disease.
But cows that pass an initial inspection before they go down may still be killed and sold for food if they are approved for slaughter by a veterinary inspector.
The Humane Society and other groups described the exception as a loophole that meat producers can exploit to boost their profit, though it is unclear how many downers are slaughtered each year.
In February, the Humane Society released video footage captured by an undercover investigator at Chino's Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. showing workers beating, dragging and otherwise mistreating downer cows at the plant. Federal officials also determined that the video contained evidence that downers were being slaughtered for food without the required approval from a veterinary inspector.
That violation sparked the recall of 143 million pounds of beef from the plant -- the largest recall of its kind in U.S. history.
Bills In Congress
Federal meat inspection practices have since come under fire, particularly in Washington where lawmakers have held a dozen congressional hearings, often focusing on the allowance of downers in the food supply.
Beyond the investigation of what happened at Westland/Hallmark -- which could have criminal repercussions -- the Office of Inspector General is conducting a separate audit of meat plants to determine whether the Chino case was isolated or part of larger national problem.
Meanwhile, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Ca., and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., have introduced bills, in the Senate and House respectively, that would create a strict downer ban.
But Schafer and industry officials resisted, testifying that the rules in place, if followed, are sufficient to protect public health.
Then last week the industry agreed to a downer ban, pointing to concerns over consumer confidence and strained international trade relations.
The American Meat Institute, The National Meat Association and The National Milk Producers Federation, which together represent most of the nation's meat producers, filed a petition seeking an absolute ban prohibiting any downers from entering the food supply.
Animal-rights groups, lawmakers and California meat producers all hailed the move.
But the Agriculture Department has not responded to the petition, American Meat Institute general counsel Mark Dopp said Tuesday. He described the proposed ban as a straightforward rule change and said he hopes the department would act soon, but cautioned that the formal process can be time consuming.
"The fact that everybody agrees it ought to be done doesn't mean they gave the authority to skip a few steps in the process," Dopp said.
Meat industry officials discussed the ban with individual meat plant owners before changing their position and found that most plants had already stopped slaughtering downers, Dopp said.
Institute spokeswoman Janet Riley said information about the petition and proposed moratorium was sent to roughly 5,000 members and industry officials. News of the proposal was also carried by industry trade publications, she said.
Riley and Dopp could provide no evidence that the moratorium is being observed, though they said they believe it is.
Pacelle said he is less confident, emphasizing that only a concrete regulation would ensure that downer cows would be kept out of the food supply.
Representatives from Feinstein's and DeLauro's Washington offices said they will continue to push their legislation to force a ban if the Agriculture Department fails to act.
Reach Ben Goad at 202-661-8422 or bgoad@PE.com
http://www.pe.com/localnews/politics/stories/PE_News_Local_D_downer30.3c23b75.html
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (Variant) and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Prion Diseases) Description Since 1996, strong evidence has accumulated for a causal relationship between ongoing outbreaks, primarily in Europe, of a disease in cattle called bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or “mad cow disease”) and a disease in humans called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). Both disorders, which are caused by an unconventional transmissible agent, are invariably fatal brain diseases with incubation periods typically measured in years (1). Transmission of the BSE agent to humans, leading to vCJD, is believed to occur via ingestion of cattle products contaminated with the BSE agent; the specific foods associated with this transmission are unknown. However, a recently published case-control study involving 132 vCJD cases in the United Kingdom (UK) showed evidence of an increased risk for vCJD associated with the frequency of consuming beef products likely to contain mechanically recovered meat and head meat (such as burgers, meat pies, and sausages) (2). Bioassays and molecular tests have enabled identification of what World Health Organization consultants have classified as “high-infectivity” and “lower infectivity” tissues of cattle with BSE (3). The high-infectivity tissues include the brain, spinal cord, retina, optic nerve, and dorsal root and trigeminal ganglia, suggesting that these tissues can pose a relatively high risk of transmission. The lower infectivity tissues include peripheral nerves (e.g., sciatic and facial nerves), tonsils, nictitating membrane (third eye lid), distal ileum, bone marrow, and possibly thigh muscle. The latter tissue from one cow with BSE transmitted disease to highly BSE-sensitive transgenic mice at a rate indicative of trace levels of infectivity.
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh4-VariantPrions.aspx
who’s gonna be following these children over the next decade or so to see if they contract CJD ? the USDA? FSIS? FDA? CDC? NIH? we must not forget, these innocent children were exposed to the most high risk ‘banned’ animals for BSE/TSE mad cow disease. the other firewall they were speaking of protecting these children would have been the feed ban, which we now know was nothing more than ink on paper. 3 suspect CJD cases as we speak in females under 30 in the USA, other young victims in the USA with CJD. who’s going to follow the children from this nationwide long term case study of children to the TSE agent via the most high risk animals i.e. dead stock downer cattle i.e.. non-ambulatory ???
To be published in the Proceedings of the Fourth International Scientific Congress in Fur Animal Production. Toronto, Canada, August 21-28, 1988
Evidence That Transmissible Mink Encephalopathy Results from Feeding Infected Cattle
R.F. Marsh* and G.R. Hartsough
•Department of Veterinary Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706; and ^Emba/Creat Lakes Ranch Service, Thiensville, Wisconsin 53092
ABSTRACT
Epidemiologic investigation of a new incidence of transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) in Stetsonville, Wisconsin suggests that the disease may have resulted from feeding infected cattle to mink. This observation is supported by the transmission of a TME-like disease to experimentally inoculated cattle, and by the recent report of a new bovine spongiform encephalopathy in England.
snip...
OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS
A New Incidence of TME. In April of 1985, a mink rancher in Stetsonville, Wisconsin reported that many of his mink were “acting funny”, and some had died. At this time, we visited the farm and found that approximately 10% of all adult mink were showing typical signs of TME: insidious onset characterized by subtle behavioral changes, loss of normal habits of cleanliness, deposition of droppings throughout the pen rather than in a single area, hyperexcitability, difficulty in chewing and swallowing, and tails arched over their _backs like squirrels. These signs were followed by progressive deterioration of neurologic function beginning with locomoior incoordination, long periods of somnolence in which the affected mink would stand motionless with its head in the corner of the cage, complete debilitation, and death.
Over the next 8-10 weeks, approximately 40% of all the adult mink on the farm died from TME. Since previous incidences of TME were associated with common or shared feeding practices, we obtained a careful history of feed ingredients used over the past 12-18 months. ***The rancher was a “dead stock” feeder using mostly (>95%) downer or dead dairy cattle and a few horses. Sheep had never been fed.***
snip...end
http://web.archive.org/web/20030331063559/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09a/tab01.pdf
http://web.archive.org/web/20030516051623/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09/tab05.pdf
UK today ;
My son died of CJD – now I want answers
A mother has told how her son was left unable to feed himself or even speak by the rare variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Andy Black died five months after being diagnosed with the killer brain bug – the human strain of mad cow disease.
During that time his mum Christine Lord was forced to watch helplessly as the 24-year-old’s condition deteriorated.
She kept a vigil at her son’s bedside as she was forced to watch him die, holding him for four days after his brain died before he finally passed away at the family’s Southsea home on December 16.
Now Christine, who is a journalist, has vowed to get justice for Andy and more than 200 people who have died from the disease in the UK.
She said: ‘The memories of my son, the way he died and the fact it was avoidable will stay with me for the rest of my life.
‘I was by Andy’s side through all of this. For every procedure he went through I was holding his hand.
‘People need to know there are people who are still in charge of this country who have allowed lives to be destroyed by CJD.’
It is believed Andy contracted CJD before 1994, but it can take years to develop. His symptoms started to show at the end of 2006 when he became tired and withdrawn.
However he was not diagnosed with the disease until July last year. Christine never told Andy he had the disease. From then, his condition deteriorated rapidly.
She said: ‘They told me in a little room and then I had to go back in and say everything was all right.
‘How can you tell at 24-year-old man he’s dying from CJD?
‘I had to cope with it. I’m his mum. I had to give Andy hope, even if it was just for a day.’
Christine Lord’s quest for justice will be aired on BBC1’s Inside Out programme at 7.30pm tomorrow.
clare.semke @thenews.co.uk
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/My-son-died-of-CJD.4041334.jp
USA RECENTLY ;
THESE cases that have come about recently in the very young are most disturbing.
a 22 year old last week died, she is suspect nvCJD. never left US. PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A 22-year-old Portsmouth woman is close to dying, and family says doctors believe the human equivalent of Mad Cow Disease could be the reason.
another young female suspect nvCJD that is 26 years old in Alabama, She is in the final stages of CJD. She is at home in a hospital bed…very skinny…and at times in the past month has had some eating and swallowing issues. Sometimes she rallies and starts eating again. She stopped walking at Christmas. they do not expect her to live much longer than May, since that would be 14 months since her first major symptom of CJD (personal communication).
AND now, a 3rd young female, 23 years old. hmmm, i am pondering about just how long all those downers were in the school lunch program, and IS the incubation period catching up now ??? is this the first of many more to come ???
Family fighting for answers about daughter’s disease
Reported by: Kristen Cosby Email: kristencosby@clearchannel.com Last Update: 4/18 9:57 pm
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A family is fighting for answers about their dying daughter.
Her family says doctors tell them 23 year old Rachel Woodard has a rare brain disease that could be the human form of mad cow. She’s been hospitalized for five months after she started having severe seizures.
“I’m scared to death I’m going to lose my daughter,” said her dad Norman Woodard.
Rachel’s family says doctors have told them she has Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease… or CJD.
“He said he was 99 percent positive that’s what it is,” said Rachel’s Aunt Loretta Mallard.
CJD can come from eating an animal diseased with mad cow. It can also hit people completely by random.
“There is no treatment for cjd. its by definition a universally fatal disease,” said epidemiologist Roger Sanderson.
CBS47 can’t confirm in Rachel has CJD. Privacy laws prevent her doctors from talking about her health, but CJD can only truly be confirmed by a brain autopsy.
The family says doctors are doubting their original diagnosis. Rachel’s dad wants a second opinion, but he doesn’t have the power of surrogacy. Rachel gave that to her boyfriend.
“I’m more scared of the hospitals misdiagnoses more than anything else. i’m scared she’s going to die of a misdiagnoses,” said Woodard.
Rachel’s boyfriend, who has power attorney, wants to protect what is left of Rachel’s privacy. He says after numerous attempts by medical experts, Rachel ’s family has failed to accept or understand the true diagnosis. In response to her family’s request of a second opinion, he says Shands was her second opinion because she was previously admitted back in December.
http://www.cbs47.com/content/topstories/story.aspx?content_id=a37723ac-599c-4d3a-a810-d4c670df9a7b&rss=1
please see full text ;
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Cargill, National Beef Packing Engaged in Inhumane Practices
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/05/cargill-national-beef-packing-engaged.html
There is a growing number of human CJD cases, and they were presented last
week in San Francisco by Luigi Gambatti(?) from his CJD surveillance
collection.
He estimates that it may be up to 14 or 15 persons which display selectively
SPRPSC and practically no detected RPRPSC proteins.
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/1006-4240t1.htm
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/2006-4240t1.pdf
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Progress Report from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center April 3, 2008
Atypical forms of BSE have emerged which, although rare, appear to be more
virulent than the classical BSE that causes vCJD.
see full text ;
http://prionunitusaupdate2008.blogspot.com/2008/04/progress-report-from-national-prion.html
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Progress Report from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center April 3, 2008
http://prionunitusaupdate2008.blogspot.com/
MAD COW DISEASE terminology UK c-BSE (typical), atypical BSE H or L, and or Italian L-BASE
http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2008/03/mad-cow-disease-terminology-uk-c-bse.html
CJD TEXAS (cjd clusters)
http://cjdtexas.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Interference at the EPA - Science and Politics at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
please see full text ;
http://sciencebushwhacked.blogspot.com/
DOWNER COW SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/04/gao-report-on-humane-methods-of.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-certified-dead-stock-downer-cow.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-still-pandering-to-industry-still_27.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-still-pandering-to-industry-still.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/recalled-beef-from-chino-slaughterhouse.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/mad-cow-disease-typical-vs-atypical.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/downer-cow-blues-senators-want.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/mr-will-hueston-dvm-on-school-lunch.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/california-downer-cow-meat-worker-i-was.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-questions-and-answers.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-to-hallmark-we-want-our-plaque.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/house-committee-subpoenas.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/california-lists-possible-recipients-of.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/to-hard-working-employees-of-usda-and.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/beef-recall-nationwide-school-lunch.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/transcript-technical-briefing.html
[Docket No. 03-025IFA] FSIS Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirement for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle
03-025IFA
03-025IFA-2
Terry S. Singeltary
9/13/2005
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/Comments/03-025IFA/03-025IFA-2.pdf
[Docket No. FSIS-2006-0011] FSIS Harvard Risk Assessment of Bovine
Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/Comments/2006-0011/2006-0011-1.pdf
second line of lies... i mean defense i.e. fda mad cow feed ban ;
Friday, April 25, 2008
Substances Prohibited From Use in Animal Food or Feed [Docket No.
2002N-0273] (Formerly Docket No. 02N-0273) RIN 0910-AF46
http://madcowfeed.blogspot.com/2008/04/substances-prohibited-from-use-in.html
Thursday, May 1, 2008
DEAD STOCK DOWNER COW BAN i.e. non-ambulatory policy still not changed by USDA May 1, 2008
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/05/dead-stock-downer-cow-ban-ie-non.html
Sunday, May 17, 2009
WHO WILL WATCH THE CHILDREN ? SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM FROM DOWNER CATTLE UPDATE
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2009/05/who-will-watch-children.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/
Sunday, September 6, 2009
MAD COW USA 1997 SECRET VIDEO
http://madcowusda.blogspot.com/2009/09/mad-cow-usa-1997-video.html
U.S.A. HIDING MAD COW DISEASE VICTIMS AS SPORADIC CJD ? see video at bottom
http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2009/07/usa-hiding-mad-cow-disease-victims-as.html
DAMNING TESTIMONY FROM STANLEY PRUSINER THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER ON PRIONS SPEAKING ABOUT ANN VENEMAN see video
http://maddeer.org/video/embedded/prusinerclip.html
2009 UPDATE ON ALABAMA AND TEXAS MAD COWS 2005 and 2006
http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2006/08/bse-atypical-texas-and-alabama-update.html
TSS
most high risk cattle for BSE Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy
USDA isn't on board with beef industry's downer cow ban
10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, April 29, 2008
By BEN GOAD
Washington Bureau
Special Section: Chino Beef Recall
WASHINGTON - A week after the meat industry called for a ban on downer cows in the nation's food supply, the U.S. Agriculture Department has not agreed to change a policy that allows some sick or injured cows to end up on dinner tables.
Downers -- animals too sick or hurt to stand for slaughter -- are generally prohibited from the food supply, but current rules allow for exceptions. Meat producers fought to preserve those exceptions until last week, when a coalition of major industry groups reversed their position and joined animal advocates and several lawmakers in calling for an absolute ban.
But Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer, who defended the current policy during congressional hearings into the Chino meat recall, has remained silent.
"He's serious about addressing the issue," Agriculture Department spokesman Chris Connelly said Monday. "There's no position being taken right now."
Schafer is mulling a ban as he awaits the results of a federal investigation and audit now being conducted by the Agriculture Department's Office of Inspector General, Connelly said.
Connelly said Schafer is not privy to ongoing developments in the two probes, which are expected to last for months more.
He said a decision on moving forward with a ban could come before they conclude, though he could provide no timeline.
Industry officials said delays are to be expected with any federal rule change and said they've called upon the nation's meat plants to implement a voluntary moratorium on slaughtering downers until a new policy can be enacted.
Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, called the moratorium insufficient and said there is no guarantee that the department will act at all, even with broad support for a halt to the practice. Pacelle said the Agriculture Department should implement an emergency rule to impose a ban at once.
"The USDA should take immediate action to adopt it," Pacelle said. "Downer cows are now regularly getting into the food supply."
Downers are considered more likely to have mad cow disease and other illnesses, and therefore pose a greater threat to people who eat them. The Agriculture Department first began outlawing downer cows from food destined for human consumption in 2004, after a cow in Washington State tested positive for mad cow disease.
But cows that pass an initial inspection before they go down may still be killed and sold for food if they are approved for slaughter by a veterinary inspector.
The Humane Society and other groups described the exception as a loophole that meat producers can exploit to boost their profit, though it is unclear how many downers are slaughtered each year.
In February, the Humane Society released video footage captured by an undercover investigator at Chino's Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. showing workers beating, dragging and otherwise mistreating downer cows at the plant. Federal officials also determined that the video contained evidence that downers were being slaughtered for food without the required approval from a veterinary inspector.
That violation sparked the recall of 143 million pounds of beef from the plant -- the largest recall of its kind in U.S. history.
Bills In Congress
Federal meat inspection practices have since come under fire, particularly in Washington where lawmakers have held a dozen congressional hearings, often focusing on the allowance of downers in the food supply.
Beyond the investigation of what happened at Westland/Hallmark -- which could have criminal repercussions -- the Office of Inspector General is conducting a separate audit of meat plants to determine whether the Chino case was isolated or part of larger national problem.
Meanwhile, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Ca., and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., have introduced bills, in the Senate and House respectively, that would create a strict downer ban.
But Schafer and industry officials resisted, testifying that the rules in place, if followed, are sufficient to protect public health.
Then last week the industry agreed to a downer ban, pointing to concerns over consumer confidence and strained international trade relations.
The American Meat Institute, The National Meat Association and The National Milk Producers Federation, which together represent most of the nation's meat producers, filed a petition seeking an absolute ban prohibiting any downers from entering the food supply.
Animal-rights groups, lawmakers and California meat producers all hailed the move.
But the Agriculture Department has not responded to the petition, American Meat Institute general counsel Mark Dopp said Tuesday. He described the proposed ban as a straightforward rule change and said he hopes the department would act soon, but cautioned that the formal process can be time consuming.
"The fact that everybody agrees it ought to be done doesn't mean they gave the authority to skip a few steps in the process," Dopp said.
Meat industry officials discussed the ban with individual meat plant owners before changing their position and found that most plants had already stopped slaughtering downers, Dopp said.
Institute spokeswoman Janet Riley said information about the petition and proposed moratorium was sent to roughly 5,000 members and industry officials. News of the proposal was also carried by industry trade publications, she said.
Riley and Dopp could provide no evidence that the moratorium is being observed, though they said they believe it is.
Pacelle said he is less confident, emphasizing that only a concrete regulation would ensure that downer cows would be kept out of the food supply.
Representatives from Feinstein's and DeLauro's Washington offices said they will continue to push their legislation to force a ban if the Agriculture Department fails to act.
Reach Ben Goad at 202-661-8422 or bgoad@PE.com
http://www.pe.com/localnews/politics/stories/PE_News_Local_D_downer30.3c23b75.html
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (Variant) and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Prion Diseases) Description Since 1996, strong evidence has accumulated for a causal relationship between ongoing outbreaks, primarily in Europe, of a disease in cattle called bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or “mad cow disease”) and a disease in humans called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). Both disorders, which are caused by an unconventional transmissible agent, are invariably fatal brain diseases with incubation periods typically measured in years (1). Transmission of the BSE agent to humans, leading to vCJD, is believed to occur via ingestion of cattle products contaminated with the BSE agent; the specific foods associated with this transmission are unknown. However, a recently published case-control study involving 132 vCJD cases in the United Kingdom (UK) showed evidence of an increased risk for vCJD associated with the frequency of consuming beef products likely to contain mechanically recovered meat and head meat (such as burgers, meat pies, and sausages) (2). Bioassays and molecular tests have enabled identification of what World Health Organization consultants have classified as “high-infectivity” and “lower infectivity” tissues of cattle with BSE (3). The high-infectivity tissues include the brain, spinal cord, retina, optic nerve, and dorsal root and trigeminal ganglia, suggesting that these tissues can pose a relatively high risk of transmission. The lower infectivity tissues include peripheral nerves (e.g., sciatic and facial nerves), tonsils, nictitating membrane (third eye lid), distal ileum, bone marrow, and possibly thigh muscle. The latter tissue from one cow with BSE transmitted disease to highly BSE-sensitive transgenic mice at a rate indicative of trace levels of infectivity.
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh4-VariantPrions.aspx
who’s gonna be following these children over the next decade or so to see if they contract CJD ? the USDA? FSIS? FDA? CDC? NIH? we must not forget, these innocent children were exposed to the most high risk ‘banned’ animals for BSE/TSE mad cow disease. the other firewall they were speaking of protecting these children would have been the feed ban, which we now know was nothing more than ink on paper. 3 suspect CJD cases as we speak in females under 30 in the USA, other young victims in the USA with CJD. who’s going to follow the children from this nationwide long term case study of children to the TSE agent via the most high risk animals i.e. dead stock downer cattle i.e.. non-ambulatory ???
To be published in the Proceedings of the Fourth International Scientific Congress in Fur Animal Production. Toronto, Canada, August 21-28, 1988
Evidence That Transmissible Mink Encephalopathy Results from Feeding Infected Cattle
R.F. Marsh* and G.R. Hartsough
•Department of Veterinary Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706; and ^Emba/Creat Lakes Ranch Service, Thiensville, Wisconsin 53092
ABSTRACT
Epidemiologic investigation of a new incidence of transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) in Stetsonville, Wisconsin suggests that the disease may have resulted from feeding infected cattle to mink. This observation is supported by the transmission of a TME-like disease to experimentally inoculated cattle, and by the recent report of a new bovine spongiform encephalopathy in England.
snip...
OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS
A New Incidence of TME. In April of 1985, a mink rancher in Stetsonville, Wisconsin reported that many of his mink were “acting funny”, and some had died. At this time, we visited the farm and found that approximately 10% of all adult mink were showing typical signs of TME: insidious onset characterized by subtle behavioral changes, loss of normal habits of cleanliness, deposition of droppings throughout the pen rather than in a single area, hyperexcitability, difficulty in chewing and swallowing, and tails arched over their _backs like squirrels. These signs were followed by progressive deterioration of neurologic function beginning with locomoior incoordination, long periods of somnolence in which the affected mink would stand motionless with its head in the corner of the cage, complete debilitation, and death.
Over the next 8-10 weeks, approximately 40% of all the adult mink on the farm died from TME. Since previous incidences of TME were associated with common or shared feeding practices, we obtained a careful history of feed ingredients used over the past 12-18 months. ***The rancher was a “dead stock” feeder using mostly (>95%) downer or dead dairy cattle and a few horses. Sheep had never been fed.***
snip...end
http://web.archive.org/web/20030331063559/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09a/tab01.pdf
http://web.archive.org/web/20030516051623/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09/tab05.pdf
UK today ;
My son died of CJD – now I want answers
A mother has told how her son was left unable to feed himself or even speak by the rare variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Andy Black died five months after being diagnosed with the killer brain bug – the human strain of mad cow disease.
During that time his mum Christine Lord was forced to watch helplessly as the 24-year-old’s condition deteriorated.
She kept a vigil at her son’s bedside as she was forced to watch him die, holding him for four days after his brain died before he finally passed away at the family’s Southsea home on December 16.
Now Christine, who is a journalist, has vowed to get justice for Andy and more than 200 people who have died from the disease in the UK.
She said: ‘The memories of my son, the way he died and the fact it was avoidable will stay with me for the rest of my life.
‘I was by Andy’s side through all of this. For every procedure he went through I was holding his hand.
‘People need to know there are people who are still in charge of this country who have allowed lives to be destroyed by CJD.’
It is believed Andy contracted CJD before 1994, but it can take years to develop. His symptoms started to show at the end of 2006 when he became tired and withdrawn.
However he was not diagnosed with the disease until July last year. Christine never told Andy he had the disease. From then, his condition deteriorated rapidly.
She said: ‘They told me in a little room and then I had to go back in and say everything was all right.
‘How can you tell at 24-year-old man he’s dying from CJD?
‘I had to cope with it. I’m his mum. I had to give Andy hope, even if it was just for a day.’
Christine Lord’s quest for justice will be aired on BBC1’s Inside Out programme at 7.30pm tomorrow.
clare.semke @thenews.co.uk
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/My-son-died-of-CJD.4041334.jp
USA RECENTLY ;
THESE cases that have come about recently in the very young are most disturbing.
a 22 year old last week died, she is suspect nvCJD. never left US. PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A 22-year-old Portsmouth woman is close to dying, and family says doctors believe the human equivalent of Mad Cow Disease could be the reason.
another young female suspect nvCJD that is 26 years old in Alabama, She is in the final stages of CJD. She is at home in a hospital bed…very skinny…and at times in the past month has had some eating and swallowing issues. Sometimes she rallies and starts eating again. She stopped walking at Christmas. they do not expect her to live much longer than May, since that would be 14 months since her first major symptom of CJD (personal communication).
AND now, a 3rd young female, 23 years old. hmmm, i am pondering about just how long all those downers were in the school lunch program, and IS the incubation period catching up now ??? is this the first of many more to come ???
Family fighting for answers about daughter’s disease
Reported by: Kristen Cosby Email: kristencosby@clearchannel.com Last Update: 4/18 9:57 pm
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A family is fighting for answers about their dying daughter.
Her family says doctors tell them 23 year old Rachel Woodard has a rare brain disease that could be the human form of mad cow. She’s been hospitalized for five months after she started having severe seizures.
“I’m scared to death I’m going to lose my daughter,” said her dad Norman Woodard.
Rachel’s family says doctors have told them she has Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease… or CJD.
“He said he was 99 percent positive that’s what it is,” said Rachel’s Aunt Loretta Mallard.
CJD can come from eating an animal diseased with mad cow. It can also hit people completely by random.
“There is no treatment for cjd. its by definition a universally fatal disease,” said epidemiologist Roger Sanderson.
CBS47 can’t confirm in Rachel has CJD. Privacy laws prevent her doctors from talking about her health, but CJD can only truly be confirmed by a brain autopsy.
The family says doctors are doubting their original diagnosis. Rachel’s dad wants a second opinion, but he doesn’t have the power of surrogacy. Rachel gave that to her boyfriend.
“I’m more scared of the hospitals misdiagnoses more than anything else. i’m scared she’s going to die of a misdiagnoses,” said Woodard.
Rachel’s boyfriend, who has power attorney, wants to protect what is left of Rachel’s privacy. He says after numerous attempts by medical experts, Rachel ’s family has failed to accept or understand the true diagnosis. In response to her family’s request of a second opinion, he says Shands was her second opinion because she was previously admitted back in December.
http://www.cbs47.com/content/topstories/story.aspx?content_id=a37723ac-599c-4d3a-a810-d4c670df9a7b&rss=1
please see full text ;
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Cargill, National Beef Packing Engaged in Inhumane Practices
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/05/cargill-national-beef-packing-engaged.html
There is a growing number of human CJD cases, and they were presented last
week in San Francisco by Luigi Gambatti(?) from his CJD surveillance
collection.
He estimates that it may be up to 14 or 15 persons which display selectively
SPRPSC and practically no detected RPRPSC proteins.
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/1006-4240t1.htm
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/06/transcripts/2006-4240t1.pdf
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Progress Report from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center April 3, 2008
Atypical forms of BSE have emerged which, although rare, appear to be more
virulent than the classical BSE that causes vCJD.
see full text ;
http://prionunitusaupdate2008.blogspot.com/2008/04/progress-report-from-national-prion.html
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Progress Report from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center April 3, 2008
http://prionunitusaupdate2008.blogspot.com/
MAD COW DISEASE terminology UK c-BSE (typical), atypical BSE H or L, and or Italian L-BASE
http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2008/03/mad-cow-disease-terminology-uk-c-bse.html
CJD TEXAS (cjd clusters)
http://cjdtexas.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Interference at the EPA - Science and Politics at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
please see full text ;
http://sciencebushwhacked.blogspot.com/
DOWNER COW SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/04/gao-report-on-humane-methods-of.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-certified-dead-stock-downer-cow.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-still-pandering-to-industry-still_27.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-still-pandering-to-industry-still.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/recalled-beef-from-chino-slaughterhouse.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/mad-cow-disease-typical-vs-atypical.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/downer-cow-blues-senators-want.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/mr-will-hueston-dvm-on-school-lunch.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/california-downer-cow-meat-worker-i-was.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-questions-and-answers.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/usda-to-hallmark-we-want-our-plaque.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/house-committee-subpoenas.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/california-lists-possible-recipients-of.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/03/to-hard-working-employees-of-usda-and.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/beef-recall-nationwide-school-lunch.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/02/transcript-technical-briefing.html
[Docket No. 03-025IFA] FSIS Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirement for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle
03-025IFA
03-025IFA-2
Terry S. Singeltary
9/13/2005
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/Comments/03-025IFA/03-025IFA-2.pdf
[Docket No. FSIS-2006-0011] FSIS Harvard Risk Assessment of Bovine
Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/Comments/2006-0011/2006-0011-1.pdf
second line of lies... i mean defense i.e. fda mad cow feed ban ;
Friday, April 25, 2008
Substances Prohibited From Use in Animal Food or Feed [Docket No.
2002N-0273] (Formerly Docket No. 02N-0273) RIN 0910-AF46
http://madcowfeed.blogspot.com/2008/04/substances-prohibited-from-use-in.html
Thursday, May 1, 2008
DEAD STOCK DOWNER COW BAN i.e. non-ambulatory policy still not changed by USDA May 1, 2008
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2008/05/dead-stock-downer-cow-ban-ie-non.html
Sunday, May 17, 2009
WHO WILL WATCH THE CHILDREN ? SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM FROM DOWNER CATTLE UPDATE
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/2009/05/who-will-watch-children.html
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/
Sunday, September 6, 2009
MAD COW USA 1997 SECRET VIDEO
http://madcowusda.blogspot.com/2009/09/mad-cow-usa-1997-video.html
U.S.A. HIDING MAD COW DISEASE VICTIMS AS SPORADIC CJD ? see video at bottom
http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2009/07/usa-hiding-mad-cow-disease-victims-as.html
DAMNING TESTIMONY FROM STANLEY PRUSINER THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER ON PRIONS SPEAKING ABOUT ANN VENEMAN see video
http://maddeer.org/video/embedded/prusinerclip.html
2009 UPDATE ON ALABAMA AND TEXAS MAD COWS 2005 and 2006
http://bse-atypical.blogspot.com/2006/08/bse-atypical-texas-and-alabama-update.html
TSS
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