Statement of the Hon. Rosa DeLauro on Accusations of USDA Misleading Public on Mad Cow Disease

Statement of the Hon. Rosa DeLauro on Accusations of USDA Misleading Public on Mad Cow Disease

New Haven, CT - Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT) released the following statement in response to a finding of the House Government Reform Committee that the cow in Washington State diagnosed with mad cow disease was not a 'downer' cow. The report yesterday said that three eyewitnesses to the slaughter of the sick animal have testified that it was not a "downer" and did not appear to be sick at all.

"Today's report that the cow found to have BSE in Washington state was not a 'downer' cow confirms the serious questions we have about the USDA's ability to assure safety of the nation's meat supply. The whole basis for USDA's assurance that BSE was limited to this one animal was the assumption that it was a downer cow, and that only downer cows and ones exhibiting signs of sickness present a risk of disease. That whole assumption now appears to have been wrong."

"This episode lends urgency to the need to create an independent, single food agency with jurisdiction over testing, traceability, recall and other components of a working food safety regimen. The dual mission of the USDA to both regulate and assist the meat industry in marketing has compromised the integrity of the system. Food safety should be consolidated into an independent agency that can effectively protect and regulate our food supply."