  For whom does the government want to ease BSE-test guidelines? -- Akahata editorial, October 19 (excerpt)The welfare and agricultural ministries have proposed to eliminate young cows under 21 months old from BSE tests currently conducted on all beef cattle, and submitted the proposal to an advisory panel of the Cabinet Office. The BSE test on all beef cows began in October 2001 after the first BSE-infected cow was discovered the previous month. It makes no sense to abolish BSE-testing of all cows which is gaining consumers' trust as a measure to ensure beef safety. At opinion exchange meetings held 15 times by the welfare and agricultural ministries, the Food Safety Commission, and consumers, many demanded that the BSE test on all beef cattle be continued. Even a member of the Food Safety Commission complained that the government's explanation falls short of obtaining public consent. It will be highly possible that untested beef are put on the market if the BSE test on all beef cows is abolished. So some local governments expressed their intention to voluntarily conduct the BSE test on all cows to maintain citizens' confidence. Does the government want to ease guidelines of the BSE test to resume beef imports from the United States? In response to this concern, the Food Safety Commission at an opinion exchange meeting answered, "We haven't considered resuming American beef imports." If so, however, there is no need to cease BSE tests on all beef cows. Without the tests, confusion in the process from breeding till home kitchen and consumer concern will further increase. People demand, no matter where cows were born, that the BSE test on all beef cows be carried on. The government should seriously take public opinion into consideration: 65 percent of people oppose the abolition of the BSE tests and resumption of beef imports from the United States. (end) |