U.S. Scales Back Mad Cow Testing Even Further

The USDA is aboout to scale back testing for BSE because current testing is showing what Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns says is, "no significant BSE problem," according to CIDRAP.

Instead of testing over 1,000 cattle per day, as has been the practice since June 2004, the USDA will now test a mere 110 per week. I have to stress that you can't find BSE if you're not looking and not only that, but you can't find more atypical strains of BSE if you're not looking.

I was extremely excited when current testing proceudres recently turned up a case of atypical BSE in the U.S. -- every honest finding brings us closer to the breakthrough we are looking for in prion diseases. Not only wil decreased testing sacrifice America's progress in this area, it will also be putting every meat-eating American life at steak...pun intended.

Didn't hear about our atypcial BSE in the U.S.? You need to read the blog more often.