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Appeals Court Rules US Can Block Mad Cow Testing

fahrbot-bot tips a story of mad cow disease, a private meat packer that wants to test all of its beef for the disease, and the USDA, which controls access to the test kits and just won an appeals court ruling that the government has the authority to block testing above and beyond the 1% the agency performs. Creekstone Farms Premium Beef sought to test 100% of its beef, in order to reassure its export markets, especially Japan and South Korea, that its beef is safe. Large meat packers opposed any such private testing, because they feared they would be forced into 100% testing and would have to raise prices. The appeals court ruled, 2 to 1, that under a 1913 law, test kits that are used only after an animal is killed still constitute "diagnosis" and "treatment" — this for a disease that has no treatment and is 100% fatal — and therefore fall under the USDA's authority to regulate.

7 of 455 comments (clear)

  1. Re:And Businesses are Greedy by Darkness404 · · Score: 3, Funny

    But the lawyers don't have to take the case. They can say "No, that's stupid" and move on. Saying lawyers aren't responsible is like saying that drug dealers aren't responsible for drugs getting into the hands of kids, its really just the kids fault.

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  2. Re:This really isn't the sensible thing to by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Don't worry, us people elsewhere in the world aren't buying US meat anyway. We know that BSE is out of control in American herds,

    Don't worry- BSE is dying. Netcraft confirms it!

  3. Re:This really isn't the sensible thing to by Foobar+of+Borg · · Score: 3, Funny

    We know that BSE is out of control in American herds, and that's besides the fact that the food is pumped full of growth hormones to such extents that young girls eating it develop breasts at very young ages.

    Ah yes. More disease, death and destruction brought to you by our good friends at Monsanto. When the Four Horsemen get riding, they will have the Monsanto corporate logo on their flags.

    Or, to modify Bill Hicks a little: "By the way, if there is anyone here who works for Monsanto - kill yourselves. There is no excuse for what you do. You are fucked and you are fucking us. Kill yourselves."

  4. Re:Repeal the commerce clause. by sycodon · · Score: 2, Funny

    USDA, brought to you by the "Living" constitution.

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    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  5. Re:This is the reason... by WhatAmIDoingHere · · Score: 2, Funny

    For every animal you don't eat, I'm going to eat three.

    I type this as I eat pork fried rice with my beef and broccoli. Damn, I need to find a 3rd meat... Oh, the chicken fingers we had as an appetizer.

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    Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
  6. Monty Python Revisited by Legion303 · · Score: 2, Funny

    "under a 1913 law, test kits that are used only after an animal is killed still constitute 'diagnosis' and 'treatment'"

    "Quick, man, that cow is stone dead! Treat it!"

    "There is no treatment for death, sir."

    (cow explodes; clip of Ladies' Auxiliary Club applauding)

  7. Re:Again please... by MadnessASAP · · Score: 2, Funny

    it would take a severely autistic judge to rule that context

    Are you aware of the past and present behavior of the US legal system?

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