FDA delays mad cow feed rules

[Guest guest]

Just your usual response to " protect " the interests of

the people that " matter " . NOT the public though.F.

 

 

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N09348676.htm

 

FDA delays mad cow feed rules, asks for more input

09 Jul 2004 18:27:36 GMT

(Rewrites first paragraph, adds details)

 

By Randy Fabi

 

WASHINGTON, July 9 (Reuters) - The Food and Drug

Administration on Friday banned brains and other

cattle parts that could carry mad cow disease from use

in cosmetics and dietary supplements, but delayed some

similar safeguards in animal feed for up to two years.

 

The FDA said it will adopt some regulations, initially

announced in January, that prohibit the use of brains,

skull and spinal cords from older cattle in human food

and cosmetics. The USDA, which regulates the meat

industry, adopted similar measures in January.

 

" Although our current rules are strong, when it comes

to public health and safety we cannot be content with

the status quo, " said Health and Human Services

Secretary Tommy Thompson.

 

However, the FDA said it would take much longer to

finalize tougher animal feed regulations.

 

Both sets of measures were initially announced in

January, soon after the first U.S. case of mad cow

disease was found in a Washington state dairy cow. Mad

cow disease is spread when the remains of infected

animals are recycled into feed.

 

The FDA on Friday issued a notice asking if scientific

evidence exists to ban all animal protein from cattle

feed. The agency also asked the public whether it

should prohibit cattle remains from being used to make

pet food.

 

Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA's Center for

Veterinary Medicine, said the agency may not finalize

until 2006 all of the animal feed rules it is

considering.

 

However, he noted it would probably act faster to put

in place new rules banning cattle spinal cords and

brains from feed given to pigs, horses and other

animals to avoid accidental cross-contamination by

farmers. Also the FDA hopes to adopt a ban on cattle

blood and poultry litter in cattle feed later this

year.

 

Commodity traders are closing watching the FDA's

actions because of the potential impact on

already-tight soybean supplies. A ban on blood and

poultry litter in livestock feed would boost demand

for soymeal as a protein supplement.

 

Consumer groups criticized the agency for taking six

months to issue only some of the new safeguards.

 

" Action that was urgent in January has become action

that can be delayed until the last mad cow comes

home, " said Carol Tucker Foreman, food policy director

for the Consumer Federation of America.

 

U.S. industry groups said they supported some measures

the FDA was considering, but opposed others.

 

The American Meat Institute, a trade group

representing U.S. meatpackers, said it was against a

mandatory elimination of cattle brains and spinal

material from all animal feed.

 

" With no indigenous BSE case detected in the United

States, this policy is unnecessary and redundant in

light of other existing feed restrictions, " said J.

Patrick Boyle, the group's president.

 

The FDA regulations covering the U.S. food supply are

expected to be effective beginning in mid-July. Those

rules include banning downer cattle and mechanically

separated beef from human food and cosmetics.