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Mad Cow Concerns Trigger Beef Recall In Six States

August 23, 2005
A Wisconsin packing plant is recalling beef from a Canadian cow that was imported to the U.S., despite a mad cow disease-inspired ban. The beef was sent to wholesalers in at least six states, but it’s not clear whether it made it to grocery stores.

• USDA Inspector Allegedly Caughgt Ignoring Animal Abuse • Massive Beef Recall Follows Mad Cow Scare • Lawmakers Call For Slaughterhouse Probe • USDA Closes Plant Suspected Of Slaughtering Downer Cows • Schools Drop Burgers From Menu After Downer Cow Scare • Canada Reports New Mad Cow Case • Meat Packer Clashes With Feds Over Inspections • Industrial "Food" a Growing Menace • USDA Proposes Lifting Mad Cow Ban On Canadian Beef • Scientists Create Mad Cow-Proof Cattle • Virginia Man Has Mad Cow Disease • Feds Fail to Step Up Mad Cow Surveillance • Third Case Of Mad Cow Disease Reported In U.S. • USDA Report Warns Meat Supply at Risk of Mad Cow Disease • Two Drugs Offer Hope Against Mad Cow Disease • Canada Finds Another Case Of Mad Cow Disease • FDA Proposes Stricter Mad Cow Safeguards • U.S. Will Strengthen Mad Cow Safeguards, FDA Chief Says • Consumers Union Wants More Data on Mad Cow Testing • Mad Cow Concerns Trigger Beef Recall In Six States • Meat Industry Ignores Mad Cow Regulations • More ...

The consumer group Consumers Union criticized the recall’s handling, saying the government should have revealed the retail outlets that received the beef.

The cow slipped across the border in a bureaucratic snafu that was only uncovered two weeks later. Inspectors let the cow in, not realizing she was too old, and therefore prohibited from the U.S. food supply. U.S. Agriculture Department officials said that there is “minimal chance” the cow is a threat to the food supply.

U.S. regulations prohibit the importation of any Canadian cow over 30 months of age, because of concerns about mad cow disease.

Apparently the mix-up was on the Canadian side of the border. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said it is looking into the matter, and has already dismissed the inspector who cleared the cow’s entry into the U.S.

The cow was slaughtered and processed in early August at the Green Bay Dressed Beef plant in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Beef from the plant was shipped to wholesalers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Florida.

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