Mad Cow Disease Hits Home
(Page 2 of 4)
Dr. Michael Greger, a physician with the Organic Consumers
Association, says the new regulations still aren't enough
to protect consumers, and the most glaring omission is the
lack of adequate BSE testing of live cattle. During the
last 14 years, he says, the USDA tested only about 57,000
cattle (every year, 36 million cattle are slaughtered in
this country). "We're barely testing even the highest-risk
animals," he says.
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Track Mad Cow Developments
USDA: www.usda.gov/BSE
Organic Consumers Association:
www.organicconsumers.org/madcow.htm
Center for Science in the Public Interest:
www.cspinet.org
Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE):
www.factoryfarm.org
Greger also says the USDA needs to eliminate the use of
beef remnants in all livestock and pet feeds. In 1997, the
FDA banned the practice in cattle feed, but Greger says the
law is too loosely enforced and does not include other
animal feeds.
Marion Nestle, author of Safe Food and Food
Politics, and professor of nutrition and food studies
at New York University, recommends boycotting beef as a
political statement. "It's the only way to send a message
to these powerful forces," she says. "[The USDA] knew what
needed to be done and didn't do it. Consumers need to start
demanding food safety in this country."
If you do opt to eat beef, certified organic is your safest
option—federal organic standards prohibit the use of
animal byproducts in organic feeds.
- Lindsey Hodel
Prius Paves the Way for a Hybrid Future
Get behind the wheel of a 2004 Toyota Prius (shown at
right) and "you know you're not in Kansas anymore." So say
the editors of Motor Trend magazine, who gave
Toyota's redesigned gas/electric hybrid their "2004 Car of
the Year" award. The editors did not hesitate to grant the
Prius their prestigious award, praising it as a
comfortable, fun-to-drive car that just happens to get
spectacular fuel economy—up to 60 miles per gallon.
There are no penalties for the Prius' environmental
consciousness—that's its magic, Motor Trend
editors say. The Prius has swift acceleration (zero to 60
mph in 9.8 seconds), room for five passengers, numerous
conveniences standard and impressive engineering that gives
the hybrid a smooth performance barely distinguishable from
traditional gas-engine vehicles. The Motor Trend
editors say the 2004 Prius is the first hybrid that auto
enthusiasts can enjoy: "It provides a tantalizing preview
of a future where extreme fuel-efficiency, ultra-low
emissions and stirring performance will happily coexist in
one package."
