2nd USDA Confirmatory Test Results Positive for BSE
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today announced that the second of two bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) confirmatory tests conducted on an Alabama cow has returned a positive...

Mad-Cow Feed Rules Should Ban Poultry Feces, U.S. Senator Says
US - Poultry feces should be banned from cattle feed under rules to be revised this year because the waste may contain traces of mad cow disease, Iowa Senator Tom Harkin told U.S. regulators. The practice of feeding cattle parts to poultry and then...

New U.S. Case of Mad Cow Could Halt Imports
US - Korea may have to halt the resumption of beef imports from the U.S. after the U.S. Agriculture Department announced on Monday that a cow at an Alabama farm tested positive for mad cow disease or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The department's...

BSE news to have little impact on U.S. cattle market, analysts say
US - Because of other negative fundamentals already in play, the U.S. cattle market will feel very little impact from the USDA's announcement of a confirmed BSE case, market analysts told Agriculture Online on Monday. Jeff Stolle, Nebraska Cattlemen's...

Asia sees little impact from 3rd US mad cow case
ASIA - Japan and South Korea said the discovery of a third case of mad cow disease in the U.S. would have no impact on plans to resume U.S. beef imports, easing pressure as Washington negotiates with its former top markets to have a ban lifted. Japanese...

U.S. works to reassure Japan, other countries amid suspect case of mad cow disease
WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is trying to reassure Japan and other foreign customers of American beef while awaiting further tests on a suspected case of mad cow disease. Source: HoustonChronicle.com

Statement Regarding Inconclusive BSE Test Results
WASHINGTON - Statement by Chief Veterinary Medical Officer John Clifford Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Regarding Inconclusive BSE Test Results, March 11, 2006. Source: USDA

Japan Wants Assurances For U.S. Beef
WASHINGTON - Japan will resume imports of U.S. beef only if Washington can convince Tokyo that it will implement effective safeguards against mad cow disease, a top Japanese official said Tuesday. Source: KUTV

Germany Amending BSE Testing Law
WASHINGTON - Germany will raise the age at which slaughtered cattle are tested for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) from 24 to 30 months in April to bring its laws into line with those for the European Union. Source: AgReport Farm...

U.S. Tests 605,000 Cattle for Mad Cow
US - In June 2004, six months after the United States reported its first case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in a cow in Washington State, the Agriculture Department (USDA) expanded its testing program for the brain-destroying disease....

Johanns seeks to resolve Japanese beef ban
US - Speaking to nearly 5,000 cattle producers at last week's Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show in Denver, Colo., U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns called the latest Japanese ban on U.S. beef a "temporary setback." He...

U.S. bids to allay Japan beef row
US - American agriculture officials will discuss Japan's latest ban on American beef during a visit next week, a U.S. Embassy official has said, after a U.S. beef shipment sparked mad cow fears and prompted Tokyo to again halt imports. The delegation,...

Critics: Mad cow disease still risk
US - The nation's No. 1 burger seller, McDonald's Corp., has joined other researchers to say the government is still not fully protecting animals or people from mad cow disease. Stronger steps are needed to keep the infection from entering the...

USDA Chief Seeks Advice On BSE Testing Changes
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Agriculture has achieved all of the goals it set out to accomplish with its special "enhanced" mad-cow surveillance efforts, but testing will continue at an elevated rate while foreign beef trading...

Ban over, US beef returns to Japan
ARIZONA - Released from a two-year ban based on fear of "mad cow" disease, American beef headed back to Japanese grills on Monday. The imported meat was to appear at a popular barbecue chain and a private banquet put on by U.S. producers....

Nebraska Beef Heads to Japan
NEBRASKA - As one of the nation's top beef-producing states, Nebraska paid a dear price when Japan banned American beef imports in 2003 amid fears of mad cow disease (news) . But now that Japan relaxed the ban earlier this week, Nebraska beef...

Japan eases ban on US, Canadian beef imports
JAPAN - Japan on Monday eased a two-year-old ban on American beef imposed because of mad cow disease, averting a trade war with Washington where lawmakers had threatened retaliation unless beef trade resumed by mid-December. In line with a recommendation...

Japan Officials Arrive In U.S. Tue To Verify BSE Safety
WASHINGTON - A delegation of Japanese specialists is expected to arrive in the U.S. on Tuesday to verify that U.S. packing plants are employing the proper procedures to protect the U.S. beef supply from mad-cow disease, U.S. Department of Agriculture...

BSE’s Not The Only Trade Barrier Hurting U.S. Cattlemen
US - During this holiday season, many of us will have the opportunity to treat family and friends to a terrific steak or prime rib dinner. What could be better than sitting down at your favorite steakhouse, for a delicious beef meal with all...

USDA: Completes BSE Tests On Healthy-Looking Cattle
US - The U.S. Department of Agriculture has completed mad-cow disease testing program on cattle that appeared completely healthy and found no positive cases, a USDA official said Monday. USDA's goal was to test 20,000 healthy-looking cattle,...