June 6, 2005
Some Midwest cattle producers have joined consumer groups in challenging the U.S. Department of Agriculture's system for protecting the U.S. beef supply. The Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska and R-CALF USA, another cattlemen's group, have co-signed an amicus brief challenging USDA rules, along with the Consumer Federation of America and Public Citizen.
At issue is whether USDA is taking an aggressive-enough stance against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, also known as "mad cow" disease) and related risks associated with importing Canadian cattle and beef products. The brief also charges the agency has disregarded administrative policies that require public comment on such decisions.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported on an internal USDA document called a "decision memorandum" from October 2003, in which top USDA officials reversed a May 2003 ban on imports of certain Canadian processed and rendered beef products, including ground beef, that could have potentially contained the BSE-infective agent.
The ban was implemented after Canada announced its first indigenous case of BSE on May 20, 2003. Three additional cases of BSE have been discovered since, all in Canadian-origin cattle. No cases have been discovered in native U.S. cattle.
The memo stated the requested expansion of imports "increases the possibility that higher risk product . . . may be imported into the United States," and warned that the decision would be a "significant change in policy without opportunity for public comment."
"The information in these reports shows a consistent pattern and philosophy at USDA, and that's to de-emphasize its mission of protecting the health and safety of the U.S. livestock industry while the agency aggressively pursues the unregulated traditional trade models coveted by foreign governments and multi-national meatpackers alike," said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard.
"USDA has not, and is not, doing enough to stop the potential spread of BSE from Canada into the United States. Once the BSE problem in Canada is addressed, it will become easier to reopen the more than 50 markets around the world that are currently closed to U.S. beef exports."
According to the Journal articles, USDA claimed that it weighed the pros and cons before making the decision to import these additional products from Canada.
"But when you look at USDA's points in favor of these additional imports, and the points the agency weighed against making this decision, it's surprising that USDA would have taken this risk to food safety simply to appease the meat-processing industry," said Bullard.
"It's important to note that this is not the first time USDA has ignored the science surrounding BSE," Bullard said. "Another memo, dated June 16, 2003, was sent to top USDA officials from the very scientists - experts on transmissible spongiform encephalopathies - the agency had assigned to a working group to advise USDA on how to best handle the BSE situation, and yet, USDA chose to ignore the safety recommendations of those experts."
Notably, USDA's own scientists recommended the agency disallow ground beef from cattle of any age - a recommendation USDA ignored - when it began in October 2003 to allow ground-beef imports from Canadian cattle under 30 months of age.
Bullard said these examples reinforce the fact that USDA has not adhered to sound scientific principles, but rather has been basing critical decisions on inappropriate considerations, including pressure from the meat-processing and packing industries.
Jim McAdams, president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, takes a different view. He told The Grand Island Independent the consumer groups are discrediting the U.S. systems that protect the U.S. beef supply and public health.
"It is a historic and sad day when cattle producers provide an open microphone to activist groups who have worked 20 years to take beef off Americans' plates," he told the paper.
