Organization for Competitive Markets
P.O. Box 6486
Lincoln, NE 68506
Date: August 10, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: John Lockie, 406.628.9850
OCM Cautiously Optimistic on USDA Change in BSE Policy
Lincoln, NE ~ The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) met the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) change in BSE testing announcement policy with cautious optimism. USDA’s previous policy was to announce inconclusive tests after only one showing of potential bovine spongiform encephalopathy. USDA will now announce positive results when two inconclusive tests are found positive. However, the agency has declined to wait until the conclusive results from the more certain immuno-histology test results are known.
"OCM appreciates USDA’s decision to alter its policy with regard to making premature announcements," said Keith Mudd, President. "While OCM supports full public disclosure of conclusive BSE positive test results, we believe the announcements should only be made after more comprehensive laboratory work is done to confirm the disease, rather than causing markets to react negatively after a preliminary result is released. Any public announcement of this nature should also be accompanied by information about the country of origin of the infected animal.”
Under USDA’s $70 million ramped-up screening program that began on June 1 of this year, the agency declared publicly any inconclusive test results after only one rapid screening test. The rapid test used by USDA is designed as a three-well test – in other words, the agency collects three different tissue samples and subjects each to testing. The agency’s initial policy resulted in the announcement of a preliminary positive if one of the three tests were positive. On Wednesday, August 4 USDA officials announced a change requiring two of the three samples to return a positive result before an announcement is made.
“In late June, USDA announced two preliminary positive BSE test results which were ultimately false alarms. OCM calculated that producers lost about $6 million per day during the week following those announcements because the markets reacted strongly and negatively,” continued Mudd. “We are pleased about this change in policy, but believe that the agency should wait until the conclusive results are received from the more certain immuno-histology results. The meat and meat products from any animal that tests positive in the rapid tests can be withheld from sale until the conclusive results are known.”
“OCM extends its gratitude to members of Congress who helped bring about this mild change of policy at USDA, but is imperative to remain ever watchful to ensure the interests of both producers and consumers are protected," noted Mudd. “We continue to believe that any announcements of positive test results should include the country of origin of the animal so we will know immediately whether or not an indigenous case of BSE is at issue. This information is key to maintaining our provisionally-BSE status under World Animal Health Organization rules in order to maintain our export markets.”
The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) is a multidisciplinary, nonprofit group of farmers, ranchers, academics, attorneys and policy makers dedicated to reclaiming the agricultural marketplace for independent farmers, ranchers and rural communities. OCM helps lead the Cattlemen’s Competitive Market Project which is a voluntary contribution program funding the effort to increase demand for U.S. cattle and beef in open and competitive markets.