National state of emergency, Mad Sheep Disease in US

[Guest guest]

Mad Sheep Disease In U.S.?

7/17/00 - The same disease that started the

current wave of food safety concern in

Europe may have landed on U.S. soil. The

USDA isn't taking any chances, and has

ordered three flocks of sheep from Belgium

destroyed because a test showed the

animals may have a variant of the disease.

The three herds in Vermont had been used

to produce milk for cheese production, but

they will all be gathered up by the USDA

and destroyed.

The disease, bovine spongiform

encephalopathy, is blamed for infecting

about 180,000 head of cattle in Europe and

killing at least 50 people who ate infected

beef. Scientists and government officials

had told Europeans that the meat would be

safe, so when some of those same officials

pronounced that genetically modified

organisms were safe, many in Europe began

to protest, saying that more testing was

needed.

http://exchange.healthwell.com/news.cfm?news=735

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from another list member...

Hi,

to say the disease may have landed could be an understatement......

For Example........

Therefore, in accordance with the provisions of the Act of September 25,

1981, 95 Stat. 953 (7 U.S.C. 147b), I declare that there is an emergency

that threatens the sheep and goat industry of this country, and I

authorize the transfer and use of such funds as may be necessary from

appropriations or other funds available to the United States Department of

Agriculture to conduct a program to accelerate the eradication of scrapie

from the United States.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This declaration of emergency shall become effective

February 1, 2000. Dan Glickman, Secretary of Agriculture, USA. [FR Doc.

00- 6638 Filed 3-16-00; 8:45 am]

Source:

http://www.mad-cow.org/00/apr00_scrapie.html