Independent mad cow testing closer to reality in USA

For years, the USDA has not only carried out an abysmal mad cow disease testing program (with far less than 1% of cows tested), but they’ve held a monopoly on the procedure by blocking any other company from carrying out independent tests. As Magic Stones reports, the US courts have ruled that this is the stupidest thing ever, and if the feds don’t appeal by June 1, slaughterhouses will finally be allowed to conduct their own mad cow testing. This is more important than ever with last year’s announcement that USDA testing would decrease by 90%, and it’s probably a good thing for consumers who eat dead cows. Of course, removing the government from the equation could lead to abuse of the new system – I’ve no idea if companies will be required to report their findings or if there’ll be any external audits to monitor company claims.