CATTLEMEN CONDEMN FALSE AND MISLEADING OPRAH SHOW

DENVER, April 17, 1996 -- Cattlemen today condemned the
"scare-mongering" and damaging statements in an Oprah Winfrey TV
Show on food safety.  The criticism came in a letter responding
to the April 16 show which included a misleading discussion of
BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy), an animal disease in
British cattle, and the safety of American beef.

     John Lacey, president of the National Cattlemen's Beef
Association (NCBA), told Ms. Winfrey that the "irresponsible and
biased show has done great damage to the million American farm
and ranch families who raise cattle.  The show, in giving anti-
meat activists a platform for biased and unsubstantiated claims
against beef, also has done a tremendous disservice to millions
of American consumers.  The show was one of beef-bashing -- not a
responsible discussion of BSE and the safety of the American beef
supply.  You took a complex technical issue and turned it into an
hour of unjustified scare-mongering."

     Lacey also said it was NCBA's understanding that the
association's scientifically qualified spokesman would have a
fair opportunity on the show to explain BSE and the actions taken
to keep it out of the U. S.  "You deceived us," he told Ms.
Winfrey.  "Cattlemen and consumers deserve better."

     "Scientific authorities overseas as well as in the U. S.
agree that American beef is the safest in the world," Lacey said.
"As Dr. C. Everett Koop, former U. S. Surgeon General, recently
pointed out, 'The U. S. government and cattle and beef industries
took steps long ago to protect U. S. cattle from contracting BSE
(whose link with a rare human disease remains speculative).
Consumers of U. S. beef should feel completely safe.'
Unfortunately for consumers as well as beef producers, you did
not let that basic message get through.  Even if a BSE-human
disease link were found, beef would not present risks.  The BSE-
causing agent is not found in beef or milk.  Furthermore, ten
years of data from an agressive USDA surveillance program
confirms there is no BSE in U.S. cattle."

     Lacey said the Winfrey Show producers apparently consider
anti-meat activist Howard Lyman a more qualified spokesman than
respected scientists like Dr. Koop.  "You gave our Dr. Gary Weber
equal time when you taped your show,  but then you edited out
three-fourths of his scientific explanation and rebuttal of
Lyman's scare-mongering," Lacey added.  "You became a cheerleader
for the anti-beef propaganda.

     "Your April 16 show is one more example of the irresponsible
scare tactics with which much of American television has become
identified.  You frightened, without cause, millions of
Americans, and you helped damage, without cause, the economic
viability of a million family farms and ranches.  You owe your
viewers a clear and fair explanation of the scientific facts and
issues."

     The National Cattlemen's Beef Association, a result of the
merger between the National Cattlemen's Association and the
National Live Stock and Meat Board, is a consumer-driven,
producer-directed organization representing all segments of the
beef industry.  The National Cattlemen's Beef Association for the
first time brings together policy and marketing efforts under a
single plan and incorporates many aspects of the Beef Board
through a joint operating agreement.  The organization began
operation on February 1, 1996.

                               ###

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April 17, 1996

Oprah Winfrey
P.O. Box 909715
Chicago, IL 60690

Dear Oprah:

The Oprah Winfrey Show, in an irresponsible and biased program on
BSE, an animal disease in British cattle, has done great damage
to the million American farm and ranch families who raise cattle.
The April 16 show, in giving anti-meat activists a platform for
biased and unsubstantiated claims against beef, also has done a
tremendous disservice to millions of American consumers.  The
show was one of beef-bashing -- not a responsible discussion of
BSE and the safety of the American beef supply.  You took a
complex technical issue and turned it into an hour of unjustified
scare-mongering.

The fact is, qualified scientific authorities overseas as well as
in the U. S. agree that American beef is the safest in the world.
As Dr. C. Everett Koop, former U. S. Surgeon General, recently
pointed out, "The U. S. government, and cattle and beef
industries took steps long ago to protect U. S. cattle from
contracting BSE (whose link with a rare human disease remains
speculative).  Consumers of U. S. beef should feel completely
safe."  Unfortunately for consumers as well as beef producers,
you did not let that basic message get through.  Even if a BSE-
human disease link were found, beef would not present risks.  The
BSE-causing agent is not found in beef or milk.  Furthermore, ten
years of data from an aggressive USDA surveillance program
confirm there is no BSE in U.S. cattle.

Apparently you consider anti-meat activist Howard Lyman a more
qualified spokesman than respected scientists like Dr. Koop.  You
gave our Dr. Gary Weber equal time when you taped your show, but
then you edited out three-fourths of his scientific explanation
and rebuttal of Lyman's scare-mongering.  You became a
cheerleader for the anti-beef propaganda.

Your April 16 show is one more example of the irresponsible scare
tactics with which much of American television has become
identified.  You frightened, without cause, millions of
Americans, and you helped damage, without cause, the economic
viability of a million family farms and ranches.  You owe your
viewers a clear and fair explanation of the scientific facts and
issues.

It was our understanding that our scientifically qualified
spokesman would have a fair opportunity to explain BSE and the
actions taken to keep it out of the U.S.  You deceived us.
Cattlemen and consumers deserve better.

Sincerely,


John W. Lacey
President
National Cattlemen's Beef Association

cc:  Andrea Wishom, Associate Producer
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