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Bush wants mad cow testing to stop { May 9 2008 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.newsday.com/news/health/sns-ap-mad-cow,0,5582071.story http://www.newsday.com/news/health/sns-ap-mad-cow,0,5582071.story Government asks court to block wider testing for mad cow By SAM HANANEL | Associated Press Writer 1:04 PM EDT, May 9, 2008 WASHINGTON - The Bush administration on Friday urged a federal appeals court to stop meatpackers from testing all their animals for mad cow disease, but a skeptical judge questioned whether the government has that authority. The government seeks to reverse a lower court ruling that allowed Arkansas City, Kan.-based Creekstone Farms Premium Beef to conduct more comprehensive testing to satisfy demand from overseas customers in Japan and elsewhere. Less than 1 percent of slaughtered cows are currently tested for the disease under Agriculture Department guidelines. The agency argues that more widespread testing does not guarantee food safety and could result in a false positive that scares consumers. "They want to create false assurances," Justice Department attorney Eric Flesig-Greene told a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. But Creekstone attorney Russell Frye contended the Agriculture Department's regulations covering the treatment of domestic animals contain no prohibition against an individual company testing for mad cow disease, since the test is conducted only after a cow is slaughtered. He said the agency has no authority to prevent companies from using the test to reassure customers. "This is the government telling the consumers, `You're not entitled to this information,'" Frye said. Chief Judge David B. Sentelle seemed to agree with Creekstone's contention that the additional testing would not interfere with agency regulations governing the treatment of animals. "All they want to do is create information," Sentelle said, noting that it's up to consumers to decide how to interpret the information. Larger meatpackers have opposed Creekstone's push to allow wider testing out of fear that consumer pressure would force them to begin testing all animals too. Increased testing would raise the price of meat by a few cents per pound. Mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, can be fatal to humans who eat tainted beef. Three cases of mad cow disease have been discovered in the U.S. since 2003. The district court's ruling last year in favor of Creekstone was supposed to take effect June 1, 2007, but the Agriculture Department's appeal has delayed the testing so far. ___ On the Net: Creekstone Farms: http://www.creekstonefarms.com/Agricult

300 cases a year of CJD in america Alabama cow tests positive for disease { March 13 2006 } Briton from houston has mad cow disease Bush wants mad cow testing to stop { May 9 2008 } Canada cows mad cow quarantine Canada mad cow animal may have reached US Canada shock wave madcow { May 20 2003 } Canadian madcow Cow destroyed before tested for madcow { May 3 2004 } Dispute of condition of washington mad cow Fda proposed banning brains from animal feed { October 5 2005 } Feds investigated 20 cases for human mad cow Florida women died of mad cow disease Human variant mad cow is puzzle { January 3 2004 } Inspector general details flaws in madcow testing { July 15 2004 } Mad cow disease found in goat { January 28 2005 } Mad cow dog food recalled { May 27 2003 } Mad cow may be affecting more humans Mad cow texas { January 26 2001 } Madcow maybe from us More us cattle likely to have mad cow disease { February 5 2004 } Mysterious mad cow cases found texas alabama { June 12 2006 } Natural beef sales outpace conventional beef Plants violating mad cow rules Possible new case of mad cow disease Reports possible case of madcow disease { November 18 2004 } Study finds broader reach for mad cow proteins { January 21 2005 } Suspected case of mad cow { June 12 2005 } Testing for mad cow to end after third case found Tests confirm second mad cow case { June 25 2005 } Tests if texas death linked to mad cow disease Third us herd quarantined in madcow investigation Upto 100 more mad cow cases expected Us may pay farmers to test for madcow { January 2 2004 } Usad investigates third possible mad cow Usda not testing animals at risk for madcow Usda probes 3rd case of mad cow { July 27 2005 } Usda says mad cow probe could take months Usda scales back mad cow testing { June 2006 } Files Listed: 39

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