Feed Enforcement Activities to Limit the Spread of BSE

From US Center For Veterinary Medicine Press Release

To help prevent the establishment and amplification of Bovine Spongiform Encephalophathy (BSE) through feed in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) implemented a final rule that prohibits the use of most mammalian protein in feeds for ruminant animals.  This rule, Title 21 Part 589.2000 of the Code of Federal Regulations, here called the Ruminant Feed Ban, became effective on August 4, 1997.   

The following is an update on FDA enforcement activities regarding the ruminant feed ban.  FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has assembled data from the inspections that have been conducted AND whose final inspection report has been recorded in the FDA's inspection database as of January 12, 2008. As of January 12, 2008, FDA had received over 59,000 inspection reports. The majority of these inspections (approximately 70 percent) were conducted by State feed safety officials, with the remainder conducted by FDA officials. Read more about this on the FDA Web site.

USDA Accepts Applications For Crop, Feed and Livestock Losses Suffered Between February 28-December 31, 2007

From USDA Press Release

By Joelle Tessler

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that eligible farmers and ranchers who suffered livestock, livestock feed and crop losses that occurred before Dec. 31, 2007, can apply to receive disaster payments beginning January 25, 2008. Read more about this on the USDA Web site.