Normally, it’s the government that presses for more inspections while industry that drags its heels, but just the reverse is true when it comes to a meat packer in Kansas. Creekstone Farms wants to test all of its cows for Mad Cow Disease but the U.S. Department of Agriculture is trying to stop them. Under current regulations, USDA tests less than one percent of all slaughtered cows for the disease, which can be fatal if meat from affected animals is ingested by humans. To prevent that, Creekstone Farms has announced its intention to test every cow moving through its plant. But the federal government has taken the company to court to try to stop it. Why? For one thing, testing all of its cattle could give Creekstone Farms an advantage over larger meat packers, who haven’t even considered such a move. If Creekstone can advertise the fact that 100 percent of its beef is tested, competitors worry they could lose market share. USDA also argues that expanding the use of the test could lead to inaccurate results. A number of false positive readings, the agency says, could do the industry harm. Though a […]

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