NEWS RELEASE l Ohio Department of Agriculture

Governor Bob Taft

Lieutenant Governor Jennette B. Bradley

Director Fred L. Dailey

Communications Office

8995 East Main Street • Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068

Phone: 614-752-9817 • Fax 614-466-4346

ODA URL: www.ohioagriculture.gov • e-mail: agri@odant.agri.state.oh.us
 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 24, 2003
Media Contact: Mark Anthony, ODA Communications, 614-752-9817

 

Statement from Ohio Agriculture Director Fred Dailey

on First Suspect Case of BSE in U.S., in Washington State

 

Fred L. Dailey, Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA), issued the following statement today:

 

As part of her announcement yesterday of a suspect case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as “mad cow disease,” in a cow in Washington state, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman said the risk to human health and the likelihood of BSE spreading in the U.S. cattle herd remain low.

 

I want to echo her comments and tell consumers that as with all plant, animal, or human diseases that have the potential to affect our health or our economy, people should be interested and aware but not alarmed. Secretary Veneman also made it clear terrorism is not suspected in this case.  

 

Secretary Veneman's low risk assessment is supported by years of scientific study and strict food safety policy in this country. Federal and state officials are using an abundance of caution in addressing this issue.

 

If the Washington case is confirmed in the laboratory, it will be the first detection of BSE in the U.S. No parts of this cow that are suspected by scientists as capable of carrying and transmitting BSE infection – brain and spinal cord tissue – went into the food chain. Muscle meat – those cuts typically found for sale in the U.S. – and milk are considered by scientists to be safe. Even so, as a precautionary measure, the USDA has announced a recall of all suspect meat in the Washington case.  

 

In addition to overseeing exhaustive scientific study into BSE, the U.S. government, with the full participation of state governments, cattle producers, and the meat processing industry, has for many years been building regulatory “firewalls” to protect against the introduction and spread of BSE in the U.S.

 

Even if there is a confirmed case of BSE in this country, it is important for consumers to know the nation's protective policies should enable government and industry to identify the source of the infection, prevent the disease from becoming established in the national cattle herd, and eradicate it from the U.S. entirely. That point is supported by an independent study by the Harvard University Center for Risk Analysis released in October of this year. http://www.usda.gov/news/re l eases/2003/10/0372.htm

Along with all the states, Ohio has been part of the federal-state partnership that for more than a decade has been putting these safeguards in place. For example, in addition to work done by the federal government on a national basis, Ohio's preventive activities include the following:

 

•  State and federal meat inspectors in Ohio collect hundreds of bovine animal tissue samples each year for testing at the federal lab in Ames, Iowa. Ohio sent 555 brain tissue samples in federal fiscal year 2003. All tests have been negative.

•  ODA's Division of Meat Inspection conducts pre-slaughter inspection of every animal that is processed in nearly 100 state-inspected slaughter facilities, looking for signs of disease and rejecting all animals appearing unfit for consumption. No animal showing signs of a central nervous system disorder is allowed to be slaughtered.

•  ODA's Plant Industry Division inspects feed manufacturers across Ohio for proper labeling to keep mammalian tissue out of cattle feed according to federal law. Contaminated cattle feed is one suspected avenue for disease transmission among cattle. The department completed 150 inspections in FFY 2003 under contract with the FDA. The department conducts hundreds of additional label inspections each year under state feed-labeling laws.

•  ODA's Division of Animal Industry does similar inspections of each renderer in Ohio at least four times per year.

 

These types of activities are repeated daily in every state in the U.S. as part of the most comprehensive food-safety system in the world.

 

We also want to advise consumers that they have an important role to play as well. People should use common-sense precautions to decide what is safe to eat. Those include:

 

•  Muscle meat from cattle is safe – it is not considered by scientists to be a risk for transmitting BSE.

•  Milk and milk products from cows are safe – they are not considered by scientists to be a risk for transmitting BSE.

•  People should avoid consuming cattle brains and spinal cord tissue.  

•  No individual should slaughter or consume any animal that appears diseased.

•  People should report suspicious disease symptoms in cattle to ODA by calling toll free 1-800-282-1955 during business hours and 1-800-300-9755 after business hours.

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