Summit Provides Outline of Plan to Reduce BSE Risk

DENVER (August 11, 2004) – Those who wish to help reduce the risk of BSE in the U.S. must be flexible, rely on science and communicate clearly with each other, the public and the government.  Those are among the key findings of a national BSE Summit in Fort Worth, Texas, April 26-27, funded in part by the beef checkoff and convened by the Beef Industry Food Safety Council.   Findings from that meeting were released today during the 2004 Cattle Industry Summer Conference.

The summit was established partially in response to the Dec. 23 discovery of BSE in Washington State.Funded by beef producers through their $1-per-head checkoff, the event was coordinated for the Cattlemen's Beef Board and state beef councils by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA).The NCBA serves as one of the Beef Board's contractors for checkoff-funded programs.

"This issue has affected a very diverse group of people and businesses," says J.O. Reagan, NCBA executive director of Research and Knowledge Management."The Beef Industry Food Safety Council felt it was important to get everyone in the same room so we could discuss possible action steps and look at the impacts of those steps across the industry.We had cow/calf operators, feeders, renderers, retailers, grinders, exporters, packers, foodservice and government representatives all at the same table.Every segment is committed to eliminating the risk of BSE, and I think everyone realizes that the job is too big to try and do alone.It will take teamwork."

Attendees broke into working groups to address concerns, including specified risk materials, trade disruptions, byproduct handling, testing issues and consumer relations.In some instances, some of the group's recommendations - such as testing protocols - already have gone into effect.Industry already is looking into alternative uses for specified risk materials, as was the recommendation from one group.A study to determine the accuracy of dentition in determining the age of cattle is complete, as asked for by the group.

One of the overarching themes from the groups was to make science-based decisions as this issue continues to evolve, whether that relates to trade, product handling or communications efforts.

"There is a need to build an understanding among consumers that BSE first is an animal health issue, albeit one with human health implications," says Reagan."The situation in the United States is very different than what exists in Europe and we have to be thorough but careful as we create regulations for this disease.Once regulations are in place, especially when they come from a crisis, they usually are in force for good."

The Beef Industry Food Safety Council was formed to help the industry eliminate food safety risks.Reagan says that the group has experience communicating with the industry to share information of this sort and help effect change.

A copy of the BSE executive summary is available at www.beef.org .

This project was funded by America’s beef producers through The Beef Checkoff Program.The Beef Checkoff was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill, and assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.

The checkoff assessment became mandatory when the program was approved by 79 percent of producers in a 1988 national referendum vote. Checkoff revenues may be used for promotion, education and research programs to improve the marketing climate for beef.