'Infected' British beef is being banned all over Europe
SPAIN and Italy banned the import of
British beef on March 2 1. Germany and
France are also contemplating a total
ban. Panic spread throughout Europe in
March-end over the consumption of
beef from cows infected with the Mad
Cow disease. The European Union (EU)
is greatly exercised and Jerry Kaily, the
EU commissioner for agriculture, has
called for an independent scientific
committee to look into the issue. The
EU'S commission on agriculture is holding an emergency meeting in Brussels.
The Mad Cow disease seems to
come from a virus which bores a hole in
the brain membranes of the cattle,
thereby killing them. Some years ago, it
had been noticed that a similar virus was
affecting humans as well. But though
there were suspicions !that the humans
could have contracted the virus after
eating diseased beef, there was no scientific evidence to back it up. Now, a new study in Germany has found some corelations, intensifying the panic.
British farmers stand in grave danger of losing a us $6,000 million market. In Britain, supermarkets will sell the
meat till the government officially bans
it. But reports said that at least one-third
of the schools have stopped selling beef
over their canteen counters. British
farming associations are obviously trying to reassure the people all over
Europe. But there are few takers. The
BBC reported that though some of the
European governments are unsure of an
immediate ban, they are having to bow
down to immense public pressure.
Meanwhile, right wingers in Europe
have stepped up their campaign against
unification.
Scientists believe that the disease
might have spread through the food chain. It seems now that 11 million cattle may have to be slaughtered and
incinerated. That raises the question of
compensation. In 1967, at least 400,000
cattle had to be incinerated after they
were found infected with the foot-and-
mouth disease. The farmers had been
compensated. But to compensate for
11 million cattle in today's prices would
be a mammoth task; no one has even
calculated the cost.
Meanwhile, an Organisation called
the Compassion in World Farming
has blamed the modern intensive
animal rearing system for being at
the root of the crisis, and said there
could be much more serious crises in
the future.
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