MAD COW DISEASE

Mad Cow Disease Spreads in Canada The United States said Thursday it would dispatch a specialist to help investigate Canada's latest case of mad cow, but that Washington did not expect the new finding to hurt trade between the two countries. On Wednesday, Canada confirmed its ninth case of mad cow disease since 2003, in an Alberta bull that died on a farm last week. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said that a mature bull tested positive for mad cow, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Dr. George Luterbach, the agency's senior veterinarian for Western Canada, said the animal's death caused the farm to identify it as an "animal of interest" as part of a national surveillance program. Eight previous cases of BSE have been detected in Canadian cattle since May 2003, when the discovery of an Alberta cow with the disease caused the United States to slam the border shut to cattle exports entirely. The border between the world's largest trade partners reopened for Canadian beef from younger cattle within months of the original ban. But live cattle have only been allowed to move across the border since July 2005. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will dispatch a USDA expert to Canada to help with the investigation, said Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns. "Based on what I know at this time, I would not expect this Canadian detection to impact our trade with Canada," Johanns said....
Ninth case of mad cow disease in Canada He would not say where in the province the animal was when it died. "These animals are removed, destroyed, tested and disposed of in a manner that they do not enter into the feed system," he said, adding officials are certain the bull also did not enter that system. Eight previous cases of BSE have been detected in Canadian cattle since May 2003, when the discovery of an Alberta cow with the disease caused the United States to slam the border shut to cattle exports entirely. The border reopened for Canadian beef from younger cattle within months of the original ban. But live cattle have only been allowed to move across the border since July 2005. New rules proposed by the US Department of Agriculture would allow exports of older live Canadian cattle to resume. They are up for public review until March 12. Almost one-third of the Canadian beef herd and one-quarter of the total herd is estimated to have been born before 1998. Luterbach said he does not expect the latest case to have a negative impact on these plans. "What's most important is that there's safeguards, there's a stringent suite of measures in place to prevent and eradicate BSE," he said. "We are open and transparent with the United States."....
USDA says Canadian mad cow case won't impact trade A day after Canada announced its ninth case of mad cow disease, the United States on Thursday said beef trade with its northern neighbor would be unaffected with regulators promising to press ahead with a draft rule to allow older Canadian cattle back in the country. "Based on what is known at this time, I would not expect this Canadian detection to impact our trade with Canada," U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said in a statement. Canada's latest mad cow case did not appear to affect U.S. markets, traders said. February live cattle futures closed down 0.300 cent at 93.350 cents per lb on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Still, some analysts said the latest case could prompt USDA to slow plans to increase the age of imported beef from Canada. "If there is anything that it could affect, it could be that," said Don Roose, analyst with U.S. Commodities Inc. In total, four of the nine animals that Canada has found in its domestic herd since May 2003 with mad cow disease were born at least three years after the feed ban. "While the risk assessment for the proposed rule factors in the possibility of additional cases, the open comment period allows for consideration of additional information that might result from this investigation," said Johanns. The second-largest U.S. farm group said USDA should immediately withdraw its proposal to increase Canadian beef imports. "Canada's ninth BSE case is further proof the country does not have its BSE problem under control," said Tom Buis, president of the 300,000-member National Farmers Union. "In the interest of U.S. producers and consumers, USDA should withdraw the proposed rule to expand Canadian beef and cattle imports," he added....