To:�NMA Members

Fr:�Rosemary Mucklow

Re:�The Cow That Stole Christmas

December 27, 2003


USDA held another media briefing this morning (T: 1-866-487-3226). A transcript of the briefing is available on USDA�s website. The next briefing will be 11 o�clock on Sunday, December 28.�In summary, information today is:

New preliminary information suggests that the cow that has tested positive for BSE entered the United States through Eastport, Idaho as part of a lot of 74 dairy animals in August 2001.�Further, preliminary info suggests that it was born in Alberta, Canada in April 1997, and that it gave birth to two calves before coming to the U.S.�To confirm this, USDA is conducting DNA tests, which will take about a week. It is likely that others in the lot of 74 animals are still alive, and tracing their whereabouts is ongoing.�USDA officials said that, even at the height of the BSE problem in the UK, only 1 or 2 animals in a herd were likely to test positive, but in an abundance of caution, they are working to trace all of the herd, which came with this index cow.�Further, milk and dairy products have not been shown to be carriers of the rogue BSE protein.�

25% of the meat processed which contained meat from this carcass is still at Interstate.�Customers of both Interstate and Willamette have been contacted to return any meat remaining on hand. It is too early to provide information about how much has been recovered.�FDA officials confirmed that they have under control product made from rendered material for both Mid-Way and Vern�s Meat for the day in question.�

During the Q&A, the following points were made:

• USDA�s TSE working group is evaluating all evidence, and no decision has been made about de-population of the index herd. The slaughter of non-ambulatory livestock occurs for many reasons; post mortem inspection assures against diseased livestock entering the food supply. USDA conducts BSE testing on the potentially high-risk animals that may evidence neurological conditions at ante mortem inspection.�Meat from the carcass of the index cow is very low-risk, and the recall is being conducted out of an abundance of caution.\
• The cows that were tested for BSE on the day in question included the index animal and other non-ambulatory livestock -- not all the animals slaughtered that day.
• Investigators found a match of the ear tag for the index cow to the Canadian tags with the same number. This would be consistent with the cattle movement between the U.S. and Canada.�
• There is no BSE test, at this time, for live cattle.
• With respect to the likelihood of cosmetics that contain rendered material, tallow is used in cosmetics, but is a fat; the prion protein has not been found in fat � it is carried forward in the protein material.
• The U.S. delegation to Japan includes David Hegwood, Trade Adviser to Ag. Secretary Ann Veneman and Dr. Charles Lambert, Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing & Regulatory Affairs. They are en route, and will team up with Japanese-based U.S. officials from APHIS, FAS and FSIS in Tokyo for meetings on Monday.

Dr. Ron DeHaven, Chief Veterinary Officer for the United States, Dr. Stephen Sundlof, Food & Drug Administration, Dr. Kenneth Petersen, Food Safety & Inspection Service were joined by Dr. Brian Evans, Chief Veterinary Officer for the Canadian Food Inspection Authority on the call.
�