zimv20
Dec 30, 2003, 12:21 PM
link (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=703&e=4&u=/ap/20031229/ap_on_re_us/mad_cow_politics)
The dairy industry contributed to most members of a key House committee who voted nearly in lockstep against banning the sale of meat from ill or disabled animals, like the one that tested positive last week for mad cow disease.
Political action committees representing dairy farmers gave money to 33 of the 51 members of the House Agriculture Committee, an Associated Press review of campaign reports shows.
Of the 33, 28 voted against the ban on marketing "downed" animals, four voted for it and one didn't vote, when it was defeated 202-199 in July.
i know it's not a new thing, but i remain disgusted when policy is for sale. and in this instance, it made the difference.
also:
Most "downers" are old dairy cows whose meat can bring farmers a little extra revenue. The Agriculture Department estimates that 130,000 are brought to slaughterhouses every year, and that those showing signs of mad cow disease are tested.
before it goes out of my brain, i heard some interesting figures on the TV the other day (either PBS or World News Tonight, i forget which): the UK tests 20,000 cows/day for BSE. the US tests 20,000 cows/year.
The dairy industry contributed to most members of a key House committee who voted nearly in lockstep against banning the sale of meat from ill or disabled animals, like the one that tested positive last week for mad cow disease.
Political action committees representing dairy farmers gave money to 33 of the 51 members of the House Agriculture Committee, an Associated Press review of campaign reports shows.
Of the 33, 28 voted against the ban on marketing "downed" animals, four voted for it and one didn't vote, when it was defeated 202-199 in July.
i know it's not a new thing, but i remain disgusted when policy is for sale. and in this instance, it made the difference.
also:
Most "downers" are old dairy cows whose meat can bring farmers a little extra revenue. The Agriculture Department estimates that 130,000 are brought to slaughterhouses every year, and that those showing signs of mad cow disease are tested.
before it goes out of my brain, i heard some interesting figures on the TV the other day (either PBS or World News Tonight, i forget which): the UK tests 20,000 cows/day for BSE. the US tests 20,000 cows/year.
