BSE Research Ready to Roll

Contracts are being finalized that will help bring  bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) under clearer focus.  The research is being funded through $1.1 million in beef checkoff funds and a $500,000 grant from McDonald’s Corporation.

 The project is being coordinated for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and state beef councils by NCBA Research and Knowledge Management staff.   Members of the BSE Scientific Working Group reviewed 17 proposals received from research organizations across the United States.  These proposals came from a “request for proposal” process that identified the specific goals the Working Group wanted to accomplish.  The Group’s five topic areas consisted of basic research, diagnostics, “Beef Quality Assurance” Best Management Practices, eradication and rendering technologies. 

 Topics of final proposals ranged from basic research of prion proteins to Chronic Wasting Disease in deer and CWD relationships to transmittable spongiform encephalopathies.  Twelve-month contracts are expected to be finalized by the end of the year, with results available by early 2004.