Welcome to the Angus e-List

Second inconclusive BSE finding is negative, USDA says

The beef industry can breathe a collective sigh of relief. Upon further testing, the second inconclusive finding of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has been found negative, John Clifford, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) deputy administrator, announced this afternoon. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa, confirmed the negative status earlier today, calming any fears that may have arisen since the additional inconclusive finding was first announced Tuesday, June 29.

Late Friday, June 25, officials announced the results of a rapid test for BSE, labeling the finding inconclusive until further results could be obtained from the NVSL. While awaiting results, the USDA announced a second inconclusive finding on Tuesday. On Wednesday afternoon, the agency reported that the first animal responsible for the inconclusive finding had been tested free of the disease.

“As part of USDA’s expanded BSE surveillance program, a rapid screening test is used as the first step in a two-part testing process,” said Jan Lyons, Manhattan, Kan., Angus producer and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) president, earlier this week. “Because the rapid tests are sensitive, they are subject to occasional inconclusive results that later prove to be negative. It is a little like going through the airport metal detector. We all have had the detector beep on us at least once, but it didn’t mean we were carrying a prohibited item. It simply meant more testing was needed.”

For more information visit www.usda.gov or www.bseinfo.org.

You have the right to unsubscribe at any time. To do so, send an e-mail to listmaster@angusjournal.com. Upon receipt of your request to unsubscribe, we will immediately remove your e-mail address from the list. If you have any questions about the service or if you'd like to submit potential e-list information, e-mail listmaster@angusjournal.com. For more information about the purpose of the Angus e-List, read our privacy statement at www.anguselist.com