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November 10, 2003
TO: HOUSE AND SENATE AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATIONS CONFEREES
FROM: U.S. LIVESTOCK, INPUT, PROCESSING AND SALES ORGANIZATIONS
RE: "DOWNED" ANIMAL PROTECTION AMENDMENT IN SENATE BILL
During floor consideration of the Senate agriculture appropriations bill, an amendment was accepted without debate and on voice vote to prohibit USDA from spending appropriated funds to certify for human consumption any four-legged animal which cannot stand or walk unassisted at an "establishment subject to inspection…" We respectfully urge you to ensure this amendment does not become part of the final conference report.
Even with USDA estimates that less than 1/10th of 1% of all animals moving to slaughter in any given year are nonambulatory, the 2002 Farm Bill addressed the issue of "downer" animals by authorizing - with livestock industry support -- the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study of the extent of the problem with nonambulatory livestock. If USDA finds a problem, then industry will work with USDA to find a solution that will not negatively impact farmers, ranchers or the food supply. It would be premature to ban a class of livestock from the food supply before this congressionally mandated report is complete.
Of more immediate concern, the amendment will actually impede USDA and industry efforts to protect the U.S. from the introduction of diseases by acting as a deterrent to keeping so-called "downer" animals in the formal disease detection and eradication system. Farmers will be encouraged to kill and bury animals on the farm, without benefit of veterinary or government inspection, losing any chance to detect an animal which may be sick. Keep in mind, the lone Canadian BSE cow was found because it was caught in a government veterinary inspection.
The amendment is far too broad in its definition of "downer," i.e. any animal "unable to stand or walk unassisted." While the arguments for its passage address "infectious diseases," in point of fact, animals generally are nonambulatory or can't/won't stand/walk for a host of reasons unrelated to disease. Animals sometimes incur unintended injuries in transit, or may be temporarily too tired or stressed to stand when they arrive at packing plants and sale barns. None of these conditions has any effect on the safety or quality of meat from that animal.
The best consumer protection lawmakers can provide is to ensure all livestock are subject to ante and post mortem inspection by USDA inspectors to determine fitness for the food supply.
We respectfully urge you to delete any language aimed at "protecting" downed animals from the final agriculture appropriations conference report. In this way, our government's animal disease detection system can operate unimpeded and farmers will not lose income based on the loss of otherwise healthy animals moving to slaughter.
Sincerely,
American Feed Industry Assn.
American Meat Institute
American Sheep Industry Assn.
Biotechnology Industry Organization
Holstein Association USA
Livestock Marketing Assn.
National Cattlemen's Beef Assn.
National Pork Producers Council
National Meat Assn.
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