More Mad Cow Disease

Another case of (suspected) mad cow disease has been reported in British Columbia, Canada. (Perhaps it's time for Gateway to consider a new logo.)

ENS Link

Canada's Fifth Mad Cow Case Found in British Columbia


OTTAWA, Ontario, Canada, April 13, 2006 (ENS) - A cow from British Columbia is suspected of having mad cow disease, formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). If confirmed, this would be the fifth case of the fatal brain disease found in Canada. Since Canadian beef and cattle are imported into the United States, there are concerns that the finding could depress demand for beef across North America.

Perhaps it's tin-foil hat time, but could this be only the tip of the iceberg? Well, the relavant officials do their best to smooth things over.

"This case, if positive, has no bearing on the safety of Canadian beef," said the CFIA. "Canada has a suite of internationally recognized safeguards that work together to provide high levels of human and animal health protection."...

"While the animal was born after the introduction of the feed ban, almost every country with BSE has found and continues to find a few cases born after the introduction of feed controls," the CCA said today.

Of course, this is the bottom line on the other side of the border:

U.S. stockgrowers are concerned that mad cow disease can enter their herds from their neighbor to the north.

How that would happen is not entirely clear. But until there is more information, beef will be what's not for dinner.