OT: Mad cow disease and raw meat

[Guest guest]

>OT P.S. Beef industry, RIP. :)

 

Many of us have believed this event was inevitable, given the lax

standards of the US, etc. The government's own statistics makes us

wonder what they were thinking and what they expected.

 

Regarding raw meats, there are some raw foodists (there is a " guru "

in California who taught raw foods, including raw meats) who hae

included raw meats and dairy in their diets. While that may be more

natural than cooking, it is certainly nothing I am instinctively

drawn to and have no desire to do.

 

For those consuming meats, whether cooked or raw, organic is the only

option as I see it, which avoids many of the pitfalls of commercial

aggriculture.

 

For those of you interested, below is an email I sent to King5, one

of our local stations, regarding their reporting of the mad cow case.

I sent copies to my representitives in Wash, DC, as well as the

Center for Disease Control, and the USDA. I had sent all these

parties emails earlier this year warning them of the need to test

every cow. The statistics are certainly interesting.

 

Jeff

 

Dear king5,

 

Re: Mad cow disease suspected in Washington State

 

The following are quotes from your online article [Agriculture

Secretary Ann Veneman], as well as your TV news report:

 

" Even though the risk to human health is minimal, we will take all

appropriate actions out of an abundance of caution, " she said.

 

Veneman said the Agriculture Department has had safeguards in place

since 1990 to check for mad cow disease and 20,526 cows had been

tested in 2003 in the United States.

 

U.S. beef remains " absolutely safe to eat, " she said.

 

From your evening news:

we have one of the " most stringent inspection systems "

 

 

I encourage you to look beyond the comments by Ms. Veneman. She makes

comments that cannot be backed up. She reminded us that 20,526 cows

have been tested in 2003. Government statistics tell us that

32,790,000 cows have been slaughtered (January through November) in

2003 (not including calves.) That means less than 0.06259% of

slaughtered cows are tested. That's about 6 out of 10,000. That is

NOT a " most stringent inspection system! " I do not consider that " an

abundance of caution. " The government has only been testing cows

showing symptoms of disease, such as downed cows. BSE may incubate in

a cow for 8 years or more without showing any signs of the disease.

Most cows are slaughtered at early ages (2 - 3.) That means that BSE

infected cows could make it to slaughter and to the dinner table

without ever being tested! That is NOT a " most stringent inspection

system! "

 

As BSE is not fully understood and it has been established that the

human form of BSE CAN be contracted from eating meat from

contaminated animals, then how can US beef be proclaimed as

" absolutely safe to eat? " I recognize the government may be trying to

prevent " collateral damage. " This news may seriously affect the meat

industry. That does not mean that government officials should mislead

us. And that does not mean that the media should pass on the

information unquestioned.

 

Please do your best to investigate this incident and the disease

itself and then share the true facts with us, your viewers.

 

Thank you!

 

Sincerely,

 

Jeff Rogers

Seattle, WA