News Update
June 23, 2008 

BSE Case Confirmed in British Columbia

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a cow in the province of British Columbia. This case poses no risk to human or animal health since Canada’s stringent BSE safeguards prevented any part of the animal’s carcass from entering the human food chain or any potentially infective parts of the animal’s carcass from entering the animal feed chain.

The animal was detected through Canada’s national BSE surveillance program. The CFIA has launched a comprehensive investigation in an effort to determine the birth farm of the animal. Canada’s enhanced feed ban, introduced last summer, virtually eliminates the potential spread of BSE through the animal feed chain and places Canada on an accelerated path to eliminate BSE.

As the level of BSE continues to decline, the periodic detection of a small number of cases is fully expected in line with the experience of other countries. Concurrently, Canada’s food safety system maintains the highest levels of human health protection.

The detection of this animal does not affect Canada’s status as a BSE controlled risk country as recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

USCA Calls For Long-Term Brucellosis Eradication Program Within Greater Yellowstone Area

On Monday, June 9, state and federal animal health officials confirmed the presence of brucellosis (Bang’s) in a suspect cow located in the Paradise Valley of Montana. Days later, two additional cases of the disease were confirmed near Daniel, Wyo. Further testing shows another 13 head of cattle in the same Daniel herd have been exposed to brucellosis.

The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) said today that it is calling upon the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reduce bison and elk numbers within the Yellowstone National Park to numbers consistent with forage availability and to work with affected states to undertake an aggressive long-term brucellosis eradication program in the Greater Yellowstone Area.

In May 2007, brucellosis was discovered in a Bridger, Mont., cattle herd. Under USDA regulations, the finding of the most recent case will cause the State of Montana to lose its brucellosis-free status. Wyoming’s class free status will be compromised if the disease is found in another herd or if the Daniel rancher declines to depopulate his entire herd within 60 days of the finding. When a state loses its class free status, producers are required to test sexually intact cattle. Wyoming cattle herds that have had fenceline contact, have grazed in common with the infected herd and any bulls sold from the infected herd will be tested for the disease.

Bison numbers in the Greater Yellowstone Area exceed forage production, causing over-grazing and migration of infected bison, elk and moose from the park’s boundaries. “Cattle producers have worked for more than half a century at enormous cost to eradicate brucellosis in cattle herds across the country,” said Chuck Kiker, Beaumont, Texas, USCA’s Animal Health Committee chairman. “One of the greatest risks of infection for cattle today is exposure to infected ruminant wildlife. Evidence demonstrates that the region surrounding Yellowstone National Park is a hot bed for brucellosis outbreaks. Obviously, we need an aggressive management approach that will result in total eradication of this disease.”

— Adapted from a U.S. Cattlemen’s Association release

Expert Says Weigh Food Costs Like Buying Major Appliance

Grocery stores and restaurants should be approached like major appliance outlets — with thorough research and planning.

That’s according to Jenna Anding, Texas AgriLife Extension Service nutrition specialist, who said rising food costs can be cut with thoughtful study.

More than $3,600 is spent each year per person on food, according to the USDA.

About half of a person’s annual food bill is for grocery purchases, while the other half is for eating out, the USDA reports. But Anding said people need to assess where their money is being spent in order to make informed choices about where to cut.

“If you can, keep track of all your grocery receipts, your receipts from eating out,” she said. “Do that over the course of a month, and you’ll get a better idea of how much you are really spending on food.”

Anding said individuals and families also should determine how much to budget for food — something many people may not have realized is needed.

Some things to consider when making changes, Anding suggested, include whether to buy convenience foods or pre-prepared foods or to make food from scratch.

Instant rice costs 27¢ per serving while long-grain white rice costs 6¢ per serving, she noted.

“The more someone has to prepare it for you, the more you are going to pay for it,” she said.

Another revelation from examining receipts may be that a lot of non-food items are purchased at a grocery store. Anding said these items might cost less at discount stores.

“You might want to look at the kinds of food you are buying. If you are buying a lot of national or name brands, maybe you can try some store brands,” she said. Another thing to do, she said, is look for sale items and use coupons.

Other ideas:

• Keep a list of items that are bought on a regular basis and track how much those items cost. That will help you recognize a bargain if you see those items on sale elsewhere.
• Cut back on things like snack foods, chips and cookies.
• Scale back on sodas to opt for less-expensive iced tea (brewed at home) or water.
• Buy fresh fruit in season at a lower cost to take the place of a sweet snack.
• Stick with traditional grocery stores and supermarkets for many items, but also explore discount stores, farmers’ markets, bakery thrift stores and “dollar” stores for best buys.
• Plan well to use what you buy. Some research has suggested that as much as 25% of our food goes to waste.
• Get others in the family involved. That way, they’ll be more likely to accept what you are cooking.

She suggested doing periodic inventories of food on hand, moving older items to the front of the refrigerator, freezer and pantry. That way, the older food gets used before it goes to waste.

— Adapted from a release by Texas AgriLife Extension Service

— compiled by Mathew Elliott, assistant editor, Angus Productions, Inc.