US plans to scale down mad-cow testing-officials
Reuters AlertNet, UK
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Washington (US):
The Agriculture Department is drawing plans to scale down its mad cow surveillance program that found two of the three U.S. cases of the disease, including one this week, two USDA officials said on Wednesday.
In addition, they said USDA would rely on private-sector incentives to inspire producers to join a separate cattle tracking system to track down suspect animals in future outbreaks of livestock diseases.Democrats on a House Appropriations subcommittee criticized both ideas as wrong-headed.
Participation in the traceback system should be mandatory, they said, and the testing program is a valuable tool.USDA officials said the testing program was designed only to gauge the prevalence of mad cow disease.
Mar 15, 2006
Reuters AlertNet, UK
_______________
Washington (US):
The Agriculture Department is drawing plans to scale down its mad cow surveillance program that found two of the three U.S. cases of the disease, including one this week, two USDA officials said on Wednesday.
In addition, they said USDA would rely on private-sector incentives to inspire producers to join a separate cattle tracking system to track down suspect animals in future outbreaks of livestock diseases.Democrats on a House Appropriations subcommittee criticized both ideas as wrong-headed.
Participation in the traceback system should be mandatory, they said, and the testing program is a valuable tool.USDA officials said the testing program was designed only to gauge the prevalence of mad cow disease.
Mar 15, 2006
