Illinois FSA assures consumers that existing safeguards protect the
food supply and the safety of consuming beef products
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[April 26, 2012]
SPRINGFIELD -- The state executive
director of the USDA Farm Service Agency in Illinois, Scherrie V.
Giamanco, is sharing the following statement made by U.S.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack regarding a detection of bovine
spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE in the United States:
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"The beef and dairy
in the American food supply is safe, and USDA remains confident in
the health of U.S. cattle. The systems and safeguards in place to
protect animal and human health worked as planned to identify this
case quickly, and will ensure that it presents no risk to the food
supply or to human health.
"USDA has no reason
to believe that any other U.S. animals are currently affected, but
we will remain vigilant and committed to the safeguards in place."
The following is a statement by USDA Chief Veterinary Officer
John Clifford:
"As part of our
targeted surveillance system, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
(USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has
confirmed the nation's fourth case of bovine spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE) in a dairy cow from central California. The
carcass of the animal is being held under State authority at a
rendering facility in California and will be destroyed. It was never
presented for slaughter for human consumption, so at no time
presented a risk to the food supply or human health. Additionally,
milk does not transmit BSE.
"Evidence shows
that our systems and safeguards to prevent BSE are working, as are
similar actions taken by countries around the world. In 2011, there
were only 29 worldwide cases of BSE, a dramatic decline and 99%
reduction since the peak in 1992 of 37,311 cases. This is directly
attributable to the impact and effectiveness of feed bans as a
primary control measure for the disease.
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"USDA remains
confident in the health of the national herd and the safety of beef
and dairy products. As the epidemiological investigation progresses,
USDA will continue to communicate findings in a timely and
transparent manner."
Visit www.usda.gov/BSE to
learn more about BSE and to find updates as USDA continues to
investigate this incident and share information as it becomes
available.
Video of an interview on the BSE case with Clifford, USDA's chief
veterinary officer, is available by
clicking here.
Consumer telephone calls are to be directed to the FSIS Meat and
Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline or 1-888-674-6854.
[Text from file received from
USDA Farm Service Agency, Illinois]
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