Bush to seek big increase in funding for mad cow programs
By Jerry Hagstrom, CongressDaily
PHOENIX -- Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman today said President Bush's fiscal 2005 budget would increase programs designed to prevent bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or "mad cow" disease, by $47 million from the $13 million spent in fiscal 2004.
Of that total $60 million request, $33 million would be used to develop a national animal identification system, while $17 million would be spent to test animals for the disease and $5 million on research for BSE testing technologies.
Speaking to the National Cattlemen's Beef Association's convention here, Veneman said the administration also is considering transferring emergency funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation to help finance the BSE prevention program and animal identification program during fiscal 2004. Veneman noted USDA had transferred $10.5 million from the CCC to the Animal and Plant Health Service last fall to double testing for BSE from 20,000 to 40,000 head of cattle.
Asked whether the Bush administration planned any changes in its total ban on meat from so-called downers or nonambulatory animals, Veneman said the administration is seeking public comments on the rule and "still could make adjustments." But Veneman added it would be "inappropriate" for her to comment further.
The Canadian-born cow in Washington state diagnosed last December with "mad cow" disease was a downer. Measures to codify the downer ban and extend it to other animals have been introduced in both the House and the Senate.
Veneman urged cattlemen to keep in perspective the bans other countries have imposed on U.S. beef with actions the United States has taken when the disease has been found elsewhere. At a news conference, Veneman noted the United States closed its border to Canadian meat after the discovery of a single case of "mad cow" disease in Canada last May, but had opened the border to boxed beef in October and said the United States is urging other countries to follow its timetable.
Veneman noted that after the discovery of mad cow disease in Japan in September 2001, consumer confidence there plunged, and Japan is now testing every cow that is slaughtered. She said USDA officials "are working hard with [the Japanese] to find equivalent measures."
Veneman said it would be "premature" for her to say whether an animal identification system needs to be mandatory, but that USDA does not want to impose multiple identification systems on producers. USDA is studying other systems that are already in place, such as one sponsored by McDonald's restaurants to pay producers extra if they can trace meat back to the farm.
Veneman also said the Bush administration has decided to defend the beef and pork checkoff programs before the Supreme Court. The checkoff programs require all producers of a particular commodity to pay a fee on each sale, with the money going into research, promotion and advertising. Critics have brought cases in federal court arguing that the mandatory payments amount to forced speech and violate the Constitution. Federal appeals courts have issued conflicting opinions on that point.
AI
