Rumors behind the BS…e

The fourth U.S. case of BSE (a.k.a. Mad Cow) was found in a central California cow this week, and I must say, we’ve come a long ways! In a few short weeks – I think the industry learned from the “pink slime” fiasco.

In December of 2003, when the USDA announced the first BSE case in the U.S., beef markets plummeted and exports saw a $3 billion drop in 2004. Those exports just fully recovered in 2011. In 2003, the U.S. set a record, exporting $3.19 billion with 9.6 percent of beef produced in the U.S. exported. In 2004, the U.S. only shipped $631 million, according to USDA data. The other two U.S. BSE incidents appear to have had little effect on the markets.

While the futures market did take a huge dive on Wednesday, based off rumors alone since USDA had yet to make an announcement, the overall fallout on this has been relatively uneventful. The nightly news I watch gave it all of 30 seconds….to my surprise.

I have seen a few articles, mostly blogs with an anti-meat slant, adding to their list of reasons the world should give up beef. But for every one of those, there are probably five counters from others, posting the facts about BSE.

My favorites have to be from the ag women. One “mad cow” doesn’t stand a chance against “momma rancher” when someone tells her, “your beef isn’t safe.”  

Many of you remember Mrs. Stanko from elementary school in Steamboat.

"You may hear that today BSE was confirmed in a dairy cow in Central California. What does that mean to you at the meat case? It means that the meat you choose is nutritious and safe. I buy my meat at the store just as you do because I am confident that my meat will be safe to not only eat myself but to serve to my two grandchildren. In 2007 the World Health Organization classified the US as a controlled risk country; that means that the controls in place here is the US are so effective and that fresh beef and beef products regardless of age are safe enough to be sold at home and traded with other countries," she wrote after the news came out.

My hope is over the next few weeks, reporters and consumers do their research, and find out the facts if they decide to add more to the BSE story. I know – I’m probably wishful thinking!

BSE facts…

The cow detected on April 24th with BSE never entered the food supply.

You cannot contract the human form of BSE from eating meat such as steaks and roasts.

The current case of BSE is Atypical, meaning it is sporadic and NOT from the cow eating contaminated feed.

Atypical BSE cannot be transferred from animal to animal, so the cows herd mates are not at risk.

BSE is only found in central nervous tissue and not in the actual meat of the animal.

And for more...go to

http://www.bseinfo.org/BSE.aspx