In light of news concerning the latest Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) announcement, the National Family Farm Coalition calls for policies to discourage industrial livestock production practices, which are often unhealthy and inhumane. It is highly probable the latest cow suffering from BSE became infected by eating feed that contained bone, protein, or blood meal from an infected cow of unknown origin. Using the cheapest questionable feed ingredients from all over the world has led to the decline of family farms, animal health, and consumer confidence.
The USDA consistently errs on the side of corporate interests: for example, relying for seven months on a "gold standard" of testing that is insufficient to protect consumers. On June 24, USDA Secretary Johanns boasted that "firewalls" blocked the BSE-infected animal from entering the food supply. However, some livestock are still being fed questionable products such as chicken manure containing chicken feed laced with rendered cattle and blood meal, practices clearly not natural to the diet of cattle.
The National Family Farm Coalition is recommending consumers, restaurants, and retailers buy their meat from sources that verify how and where the food sold is raised; or utilize local or regional marketing systems that purchase directly from family farmers and ranchers utilizing diversified, sustainable production practices. However, even obtaining the country of origin of most of the beef sold in the U.S. is difficult, since corporate and USDA lobbying earlier this year convinced Congress to delay mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef.
NFFC urges the USDA and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to institute real remedies such as comprehensive animal testing and strict enforcement of a total ban on feeding of ruminant waste back to ruminant animals. We call for the immediate implementation of mandatory country-of-origin labeling of beef and other products.
NFFC demands that our government agencies put the interests of consumers, family farmers and ranchers ahead of corporate profits.
For more information or to contact family farmer leaders within NFFC, please contact Kathy Ozer at (202) 543-5675 or Rebecca Kessinger at (269) 461-4177.
The National Family Farm Coalition is a voice for grassroots groups on farm, food, trade and rural economic issues to ensure fair prices for family farmers, safe and healthy food, and vibrant, environmentally sound rural communities here and around the world. The NFFC (founded in 1986) represents family farm and rural groups in 30 states whose members' face the challenge of the deepening economic recession in rural communities caused primarily by low farm prices and the increasing corporate control of agriculture.
National Family Farm Coalition
110 Maryland Ave, NE, Suite 307
Washington, DC 20002
ph: (202) 543-5675
fax: (202) 543-0978
email: nffc@nffc.net
web: http://www.nffc.net
