Publishes Final Rule Prohibiting Processing of "Downer" Cattle
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today announced a permanent prohibition on the slaughter of cattle that are unable to stand or walk ("downer" cattle) when presented for pre-slaughter inspection. The inability to stand or walk can be a clinical sign of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)."This final rule further strengthens our public health controls at slaughter plants across the United States," said USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Richard Raymond. "Less than three weeks after the December 2003 BSE detection in an imported cow, USDA moved quickly and decisively to put in place interim rules that greatly reduced the risk of human exposure. Experience has borne-out that these interim steps were correct and should be made permanent."
On Jan. 12, 2004, FSIS issued a series of three interim final rules in response to the first BSE diagnosis on Dec. 23, 2003. Those rules had prohibited for human consumption non-ambulatory "downer" cattle and cattle tissue identified as specified risk materials (SRMs); banned the use of high pressure stunning devices that could drive SRM tissue into the meat; and established requirements for Advanced Meat Recovery systems.
The rule requires that spinal cord must be removed from cattle 30 months of age and older at the place of slaughter. It also mandates that records must be maintained when beef products containing SRMs are moved from one federally inspected establishment to another for further processing.
Countries that have received the internationally recognized BSE status of "negligible risk" are not required to remove SRMs because their system controls prevent the introduction and spread of BSE.
FSIS will conduct outreach sessions with industry to ensure that the provisions of the final rule are fully understood by all affected establishments.
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