Appeals Court Rules US Can Block Mad Cow Testing 455
fahrbot-bot tips a story of mad cow disease, a private meat packer that wants to test all of its beef for the disease, and the USDA, which controls access to the test kits and just won an appeals court ruling that the government has the authority to block testing above and beyond the 1% the agency performs. Creekstone Farms Premium Beef sought to test 100% of its beef, in order to reassure its export markets, especially Japan and South Korea, that its beef is safe. Large meat packers opposed any such private testing, because they feared they would be forced into 100% testing and would have to raise prices. The appeals court ruled, 2 to 1, that under a 1913 law, test kits that are used only after an animal is killed still constitute "diagnosis" and "treatment" — this for a disease that has no treatment and is 100% fatal — and therefore fall under the USDA's authority to regulate.
Denny Crane (Score:1, Funny)
This really isn't the sensible thing to (Score:0, Funny)
Don't worry, us people elsewhere in the world aren't buying US meat anyway. We know that BSE is out of control in American herds, and that's besides the fact that the food is pumped full of growth hormones to such extents that young girls eating it develop breasts at very young ages.
Such a public cover up of your endemic plague-ridden herds will only harden opinion against American meat, and food in general.
Note that the rest of the world is willing to pay a premium for good quality, well raised, tasty, healthy meat. So extra costs to test could still be economically good. Still, not my problem!
Re:And Businesses are Greedy (Score:4, Funny)
Re:This really isn't the sensible thing to (Score:2, Funny)
Don't worry, us people elsewhere in the world aren't buying US meat anyway. We know that BSE is out of control in American herds,
Don't worry- BSE is dying. Netcraft confirms it!
Re:This really isn't the sensible thing to (Score:0, Funny)
Had a bad experience recently here in europe - bought some jerky (yes, some europeans make and eat jerky, news at 11). AFTER I'd eaten it, discovered it was US-made jerky, not european. Argh. The market's now flooded with it - dunno what asshole in the EU decided US jerky was okay, but it sure is annoying.
Personally, I pretty much reckon one has to be genetically predisposed to vCJD for it to develop after exposure, or well, most of britain would be dead now, so I'm not particularly worried. But still, not happy. Have to be a lot more careful buying beef products again now.
Re:This really isn't the sensible thing to (Score:4, Funny)
Ah yes. More disease, death and destruction brought to you by our good friends at Monsanto. When the Four Horsemen get riding, they will have the Monsanto corporate logo on their flags.
Or, to modify Bill Hicks a little: "By the way, if there is anyone here who works for Monsanto - kill yourselves. There is no excuse for what you do. You are fucked and you are fucking us. Kill yourselves."
Re:Repeal the commerce clause. (Score:2, Funny)
USDA, brought to you by the "Living" constitution.
Re:This really isn't the sensible thing to (Score:1, Funny)
MOD PARENT FUNNY!!!
only if you feel like it...please? :)
Re:This is the reason... (Score:2, Funny)
I type this as I eat pork fried rice with my beef and broccoli. Damn, I need to find a 3rd meat... Oh, the chicken fingers we had as an appetizer.
Re:This is the reason... (Score:1, Funny)
Monty Python Revisited (Score:3, Funny)
"under a 1913 law, test kits that are used only after an animal is killed still constitute 'diagnosis' and 'treatment'"
"Quick, man, that cow is stone dead! Treat it!"
"There is no treatment for death, sir."
(cow explodes; clip of Ladies' Auxiliary Club applauding)
Re:Again please... (Score:3, Funny)
it would take a severely autistic judge to rule that context
Are you aware of the past and present behavior of the US legal system?