Consumers' Union Calls for Mad Cow Hearings

In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Michael Johanns, the Consumers' Union (CU) has requested that Johanns organize and host a series of public hearings on the risk to the public of Mad Cow disease (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy). In the letter, CU asks that, "As part of this forum, we ask that you outline the steps the U.S. government has taken to control this disease, and to assure that Americans are not subjected to an increased risk of variant Crueztfeld-Jacob disease."

The letter continues, in part, "Beginning with the discovery of a BSE positive bovine in Canada in 2003, U.S. government actions have been notable for the lack of public participation and transparency. You, your predecessor and the employees of USDA have conducted numerous private meetings with cattlemen and representatives of the meat industry. In addition, U.S. government officials have met endlessly with officials of other governments in an effort to restore American beef markets. But there has been no opportunity for American consumers to meet with, offer suggestions and seek responses from our government about our food supply. We cannot think of any food safety issue of this importance where government action has been so subject to special pleading and so cloaked in secrecy." Read the entire CU letter...

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