[A. Pole]

Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, a meatpacker based in Arkansas City, Kan., wants to test all of its cows for the disease, which can be fatal to humans who eat tainted beef. Larger meat companies feared that move because if Creekstone tested its meat and advertised it as safe, they could be forced to do the expensive test, too.

Bump

[Enterprise]

Well, it's a puzzle to me I guess. A company wants to make sure the meat is not diseased, and the Government won't let them test. Okkkkk

[ca centered]

The government is protecting companies who don't want to test. Good job guv! Thankful there are still some sane judges.

[PAR35]

Widespread testing for mad cow could destroy the beef industry.

[quantim]

Larger meat companies feared that move

Betcha' it is the unions who are actually raising the cleaver.

[ColdSteelTalon]

The department threatened Creekstone with prosecution if it tested all its animals.

The government wants to prosecute people for voluntarily testing its cows? Have they gone mad????

[traviskicks]

"The department threatened Creekstone with prosecution if it tested all its animals."

When you've think you've seen it all alert....





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[traviskicks]

thanks for posting this, it is one of the most unbelievable, but illustrative stories I've run across in a long time. :)

[lastchance]

I am willing to bet that the cows in the slaughter house are plenty mad. No testing required.

[redgolum]

The reason the FDA and USDA didn't want this is simple. If one plant does it, they will have a huge competitive advantage over any other packing plant. So in the end all the plants will do it.

Which is great, but the BSE tests are not that accurate.

[aimhigh]

The Agriculture Department argued that widespread testing could lead to a false positive that would harm the meat industry.

The real purpose of this government agency is to protect an industry. Human safety is just a cover.