Local consumers still eating beef
The discovery of a single case of BSE, commonly known as "mad cow disease," in a Washington dairy cow in December has not deterred local residents from purchasing and consuming beef.
That is, if a small sampling of grocery shoppers is any indication.
Spotted at the meat counter at Carlsons' Grocery in Marion, Carol Vogel of rural Marion said, "I feel that we're safe here because it happened up in Washington. Besides, the cow was born and raised in Canada."
She and her husband produce beef.
Lorraine Walker of Marion relies on those in charge of food safety to protect consumers.
"I'm concerned," she said, "but I'm depending on them to take care of it."
Raymond Koegeboehn, a retired farmer living in Marion, doesn't fall for all the hype surrounding the case.
"It's just a big blow-up, so it doesn't bother me to eat beef," he said.
The Carlsons said they have not noticed a drop-off in beef sales. According to Linda Carlson, e-mails received from IGA headquarters indicates the same industry-wise.
Many special-interest groups are using the isolated incident to try to scare people into not eating beef.
These groups have deceptive names such as The Center for Food Safety (not to be confused with the U.S. Government's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition), The Center for Media and Democracy, The Center for Science in the Public Interest, Farm Aid, Friends of the Earth, and The Humane Society of the United States.
Each of these groups has its own agenda, whether it be anti-business, anti-free-trade, or animal rights.
"Mad cow disease" is a common name given to bovine spongiform encephalopathy, known in short as BSE. It is a fatal disease that causes progressive neurological degeneration in cattle.
BSE has not been found in animal flesh. It has been found only in the brain and nervous system of infected cattle, animal parts which are not eaten by humans but in the past have been incorporated into animal feed. In August 1997, the United States banned the practice.
BSE cannot be transmitted easily from animals to humans. The only way it can happen is if carelessness in processing a BSE-diseased animal would result in some stray infected tissue finding its way into the meat.
No one in the United States has ever died from contracting mad cow disease. However, many are killed every year by bolts of lightning, bee stings, dog bites, or the flu.
The USDA is implementing stricter rules to ensure that BSE-contaminated meat does not enter the food chain.
When the American BSE case was announced, prices paid to beef producers plunged, but in recent days prices have been going back up as demand remains strong.
Chuck McLinden, a rancher at Florence, is optimistic. He said he noticed markets went down for a while but are steadily improving.
