Canada says mad cow not a threat

TORONTO – A new case of mad cow disease discovered in Canada poses no threat to human health or trade, and the United States has assured Canadian officials it will not block beef imports, the country’s agriculture minister said Monday.

“Canada has a strong regulatory regime in place to protect against the spread of BSE,” Minister Andrew Mitchell said, referring to bovine spongiform encephalopathy. “From a public health perspective, this finding does not threaten the safety of Canadian beef.”

Canada revealed Sunday that an 8-year-old dairy cow in Alberta tested positive for the brain-wasting illness, confirming preliminary test results released last week. The cow did not enter the human or animal food supply, Mitchell said.

Despite learning of the case, the Bush administration said that it would stand by its decision to renew Canadian cattle imports in March, citing a World Health Organization study that even if 11 cases of mad cow disease were discovered in the 5.5 million head Canadian cattle herd every year, they would pose only a minimal threat to human health.

“Canada has been assured by the United States Department of Agriculture that this case will have no impact on the restoration of live cattle and broadened beef trade” across the border, Mitchell said Monday, after speaking with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman on Sunday.