Editorial
Restoring confidence, one cow at a time

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One diseased cow imperiled America's multibillion-dollar beef industry. Public confidence in the safety of the meat supply will be restored the same way, one healthy cow at a time.

Federal officials yesterday took a big step toward rebuilding trust by banning the slaughter for human consumption of cattle unable to walk on their own. Past attempts to ban sick or injured "downer" cattle were defeated. That was a poor gamble by the cattle industry. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said the USDA will immediately ban all downer cattle from the human food chain. In the midst of a crisis, there is no debate or compelling lobbying on Capitol Hill against the ban.

The audience for Veneman's announcements is truly global. Foreign markets were as eager to protect their consumers, and domestic cattle industries, as the U.S. was during previous mad-cow outbreaks abroad. The USDA stiffened restrictions or banned a variety of other processes and practices to build "firewalls" against BSE, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

In the future, certain "specified risk material" for BSE, such as skull, brains, eyes, vertebral column, and spinal cord from cattle over 30 months of age will be prohibited from the food supply, along with the small intestines of cattle of all ages.

Rules will be strengthened on technology that removes muscle tissue from the bones of beef carcasses. Mechanically separated meat will be prohibited in human food. Air-injection stunning will be prohibited, to keep brain tissue out of the carcass. Cattle tested for BSE at the meatpacking plant will not be marked as "inspected and passed" until negative results are confirmed.

Consumers who are wide-eyed at what passed for standard operating procedures have a right to expect better. In truth, they've been pretty well served to date, but there is little room for error. One dairy cow from Mabton, Yakima County, turned an industry upside down.

Supplying Americans and the world with a steady stream of hamburger and pizza toppings is a gritty, industrial business. Cattle producers operating on narrow margins have the greatest stake in maintaining public confidence.

Veneman acted to protect consumers and restore the cattle industry. Both should appreciate what was done.

Copyright © 2003 The Seattle Times Company