Food Safety Week
Volume 2, Number 4
February 8, 1994
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HEADLINES:
- BGH ROUND UP
- NEW RULES ON SEAFOOD SAFETY ANNOUNCED
- DEBATE CONTINUES OVER MAD COW DISEASE
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News Summaries
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BGH ROUND UP
Golden Guernsey, one of the largest dairy processors in the state of
Wisconsin, announced that it would accept milk from farmers who
have treated their cows with a synthetic bovine growth hormone
(BGH), otherwise known as bovine somatotropin (BST). Golden
Guernsey officials said that as a farmer-owned cooperative, their by-
laws would not allow them to deny access to markets if one member
chose to use BGH. They also said the lack of a viable testing
mechanism for detecting the synthetic drug would not allow them to
determine the difference between milk and dairy products derived
from cows treated with BGH and those that were not.
In response to the announcement by Golden Guernsey, the Pure Food
Campaign said it will add the dairy to a boycott list. John Stauber, a
consultant with the campaign, said, "We urge all who are opposed to
BGH to boycott Golden Guernsey. Synthetic BGH is bad for cows and
threatens human health." He added that several consumers have
contacted him for information about an alternative milk supply.
Last month, a Minnesota group working on the issue of BGH reported
that a strategy meeting was interrupted by a member of the
Minnesota Department of Agriculture and a professor from the
University of Minnesota. Organizers of the meeting, including
Minnesota Citizens Organized Acting Together (COACT) and the local
natural food co-ops, said K.J. McDonald, interagency liaison for the
department, claimed he was attending the meeting as a concerned
consumer and not on departmental business. McDonald proceeded to
read a statement on the department's position with regard to BGH.
He said the department is neutral on the issue of whether or not a
farmer wants to use the drug; however, any attempts at labeling will
be combated. When meeting participants asked if they could keep a
copy of the statement, McDonald replied, "It's not quite finished."
Shortly thereafter, a professor from the University of Minnesota who
has done a significant amount of research on BGH, entered the
meeting. He too said he was there as a concerned consumer and
asked for equal time to air his views. Organizers of the meeting, who
had sponsored forums in the past where the professor was invited to
speak, explained that the meeting was set up for strategic purposes,
his interests would not be represented and that he would be invited
to leave.
A spokesperson for Monsanto, maker of the Posilac version of BGH
which received FDA approval, said his company is ready to "pull the
trigger" on its marketing campaign. Thomas McDermott said Posilac
will be available by mail only from Monsanto and prices will run
about $5.00 a dose. That price will eventually rise to about $6.50 a
dose. He said the company only hopes to break even the first year of
commercialization. He added that that would not even begin to
recoup the company's 13-year investment which could run as high as
$1 billion.
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture approved the use of a label
by Cedar Grove Cheese. After negotiating with the department, Cedar
Grove President Bob Wills said the label will read "Farmer Certified
rBGH Free. The federal government permits farmers to use synthetic
bovine growth hormone, therefore farmers selling milk to Cedar
Grove Cheese signed promises that they will not treat their cows with
rBGH."
Source: "Wisconsin Co-Op Will Accept BGH Milk," Farming Today,
UPI, January 21, 1994; "Pure Food Campaign Recommends That
Consumer Boycott Golden Guernsey," PURE FOOD CAMPAIGN PRESS
RELEASE, January 24, 1994; Jon Youngdahl, MN COACT, Telephone
communication, January 21, 1994; Big Co-op to Accept BGH Milk,"
MILWAUKEE SENTINEL, January 20, 1994;
NEW RULES ON SEAFOOD SAFETY ANNOUNCED
Last month, the Food and Drug Administration announced a new set
of rules for seafood safety aimed at the prevention of, rather than
reaction to, foodborne illness linked to the consumption of seafood.
The new rules are similar to the science-based approach the USDA is
attempting to implement for meat inspection. Under the new system
of control known as Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP),
the following principles will be implemented: analysis of the
hazards; determination of points at which hazards are likely to occur;
establishing prevention controls; monitoring the controls; and
detailed record keeping. More specifically, all fish to be sold for
human consumption will have to be certified by the government as
coming from clean waters. Shellfish will have to bear a tag stating
their origin which will have to be kept in place for 90 days. "If you
want to look at the future of food safety in this country, look at this
model," said Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala.
"The system we have now is based on principles that are 50 years
old. The new system, based on science, clearly will be the standard
for the world."
The new rules came in response to a severe drop in per capita
seafood consumption over the past seven years. Several seafood
related deaths have been reported and warnings about the dangers
of shellfish from certain areas have remained constant. The Centers
for Disease Control reports that about 9,000 food-related deaths
occur each year but it is unknown how many of those can be
attributed to seafood consumption. "This is a very positive first
step," said Catherine Smith De Waal of Public Voice. But, she added,
"we've got a long way to go." The industry was reportedly pleased
with the new rules. "It's important to the industry because there are
a few situations where we have some problems. And now
everybody will be following the same rules," said Lee Weddig of the
National Fisheries Institute.
The public has 90 days to comment on the proposed rules. The
regulations will go into effect one year after the comment period is
up.
Source: Marian Burros, "FDA Expected to Announce Tough Seafood
Safety Rules," NEW YORK TIMES, January 21, 1994; "A Big Step for
Seafood Safety," NEW YORK TIMES, January 26, 1994; John Schwartz,
"FDA, HHS Seek Safer Seafood," WASHINGTON POST, January 22,
1994.
DEBATE CONTINUES OVER MAD COW DISEASE
Late last month, a debate flared in the United Kingdom over a young
woman who has Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD). The British media
jumped on the story, blaming beef consumption for the young
woman's contraction of the disease. The government continued to
insist that CJD is not linked to bovine spongiform encephalopathy
(BSE), or mad cow disease, which many consider to be the bovine
form of CJD. A neurologist at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary backed
up the government, stating, "The available information about
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease both from laboratory experiments and
from studies in populations in a number of different countries so far
has failed to show any connection between human CJD and
consuming animal meat or contact with animals."
Critics of the government contend that there is a very distinct
possibility that the 16-year old could have contracted CJD by eating
infected beef. "I reckon there is about a 70 percent chance that
humans can catch the disease," said Dr. Steve Dealler at York District
Hospital. "The chance that some humans have eaten an infectious
amount are quite high." "We know the most likely food is processed
food, the burgers and sausages. We think this is the first case of BSE
infecting a member of the human race by this method," said Dr.
Richard Lacey of Leeds University.
The government maintains that the mad cow epidemic of the mid-
1980s was the result of feeding rendered sheep infected with scrapie
to cattle. The practice has since been halted but approximately
100,000 cows remain which could have been exposed to the disease.
Last month, Portugal withdrew two drugs containing cow derivatives
from the market. In addition, the German health ministry
recommended banning imports of beef from Britain.
In other mad cow news, a Canadian federal court has issued an
injunction stopping a bull thought to be infected with BSE from being
destroyed. Gordon Kohl of Georgeville, Quebec said the bull the
government is trying to get rid of has been part of his farm for 12
years -- beyond the incubation period, which is thought to be
between two and eight years for BSE. Dr. John Kellar of Agriculture
Canada said that is not necessarily true and pointed out that a cow in
Britain began to exhibit signs of the disease at age 17. Agriculture
Canada has reportedly offered Kohl the market value of the
condemned animal with a ceiling at $2,000. Kohl said his prize-
winning bull is worth at least $40,000. Kohl imported the bull from
Britain.
Source: Maggie Fox, "Debate on Whether Girl Got Brain Disease From
Beef," REUTER, January 26, 1994; Ian Elliott, "Canadian Judge Saves
Bull From Slaughter for BSE," FEEDSTUFFS, January 17, 1994.
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Resources
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The Fall 1993 issue of WHY magazine by World Hunger Year focuses
on poverty and hunger issues. Items of interest include an interview
with David Beckman of Bread for the World, an article on
homelessness and the Clinton administration scorecard. News and
legislative updates are also included. Subscriptions begin at
$18.00/annually. For more information, contact World Hunger Year,
505 8th Avenue, 21st Floor, New York, NY 10018, Tel: (212) 629-
8850.
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Conferences/Events
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ORGANIC LIVESTOCK HEARINGS, February 10 in Chicago, IL,
February 24 in Denver, CO and March 22 in Sacramento, CA. FFI,
contact: Harold Ricker, National Organic Program, Tel: (202) 720-
2704.
UPPER MIDWEST ORGANIC FARMING CONFERENCE, March 4-5,
1994, Sparta, WI. FFI, contact: CROPP, P.O. Box 159, LaFarge, WI
54639, Tel: (608) 625-2602.
FREEDOM FROM PESTICIDES IS EVERY BODY'S RIGHT, March
11-14, 1994, Alexandria, VA. FFI, contact: National Coalition Against
the Misuse of Pesticides, 701 E Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003, Tel:
(202) 543-5450, Fax: (202) 543-4791.
CONFERENCE FOR FOOD PROTECTION, March 12-17, 1994, San
Jose, CA. FFI, contact: Leon Townsend, Conference for Food
Protection, 110 Tecumseh Trail, Frankfort, KY 40601, Tel/Fax: (502)
695-0253.
ORGANIC COFFEE PRODUCTION, April 11-16, 1994, Chiapas,
Mexico. FFI, contact: AMAE c/o Jose Dardon Hernandez, Calle Central
Pontiente No. 14-A, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, CP 30700, Tel: (52)
962-51682, Fax: (52) 962-60455.
CUISINE, AGRICULTURE AND SOCIAL CHANGE, June 9-12, 1994,
Tucson, AZ. FFI, contact: Gerry Walter, 59 Mumford, 1301 West
Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, Tel: (217) 333-9429, Fax: (217)
244-7503, email: walter@cc-mail.agcomed.uiuc.edu.
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Produced by: Michelle Thom, Institute for Agriculture and Trade
Policy, 1313 5th Street SE Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414, Tel:
(612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org or
mmthom@alex.stkate.edu. In addition to this news bulletin, the
Institute publishes a variety of news bulletins on agriculture, the
environment and international trade. All bulletins may be
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as proper attribution is included. A copy of any publication in which
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