Current Press Releases

Canadian Mad Cow Discovery is Grave Warning for U.S.

CANADA - May 29, 2003 - The recent discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease, in Canada raises serious concerns about the safety of America's beef. The infected cow was a "downed" cow, an animal too sick to stand. Downed animals are routinely slaughtered for human consumption in the U.S. and, shockingly, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) approves this dangerous practice.

Farm Sanctuary, the nation's leading farm animal protection organization, is currently suing the USDA to prevent the slaughter of downed animals for human food. The USDA, defending its approval of meat from downed animals, stated, "The [law], regulations, and past practices clearly provide for the slaughter and processing of diseased animals for human food." Farm Sanctuary has also filed a legal petition with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has now received over 35,000 supporting comments, seeking to prevent meat from downed animals from entering the food supply. In addition, Farm Sanctuary is working to advance federal legislation to prevent the marketing and slaughter of downed animals. The Downed Animal Protection Act will be re-introduced in June.

Mad cow disease has been linked to the invariably fatal neurogenerative disease in humans called Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), contracted through the consumption of infected beef. CJD has killed over 100 people in Europe and is thought to be caused by a prion, an infectious protein that researchers have called the smallest, most lethal self-perpetuating biological entity in the world.

Last year, the United States tested fewer than 20,000 cattle for mad cow disease, which is less than Europe tests in a single day. In 2002, the United States General Accounting Office (GAO) released a report stating that current safeguards in the U.S. are inadequate to detect and prevent the spread of BSE. The report cites inadequate testing and feed policies, which allow cattle to be fed slaughterhouse waste products, including blood, a practice that is illegal in Europe.

In a recent report, BSE expert Dr. Michael Greger explains that the U.S. and Canada have essentially the same safeguards in place, with the same loopholes and the same inadequate surveillance. He concludes, "Either way, whether from the millions of cattle, or the billions of pounds of beef we imported from Canada previous to yesterday's ban, American beef consumers have been placed at risk…if Canada has mad cow disease, then it stands to reason that the United States does as well."

For more information, please visit www.nodowners.org or call (607) 583-2225.

About Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary is the nation's leading farm animal protection organization. Since incorporating in 1986, Farm Sanctuary has worked to expose and stop cruel practices of the "food animal" industry through research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms, public awareness projects, youth education, and direct rescue and refuge efforts. Farm Sanctuary shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland, Calif., provide lifelong care for hundreds of rescued animals, who have become ambassadors for farm animals everywhere by educating visitors about the realities of factory farming. Additional information can be found at www.farmsanctuary.org or by calling 607-583-2225.