03/27/06 Processor sues USDA over BSE testing

American Rancher March 27, 2006 Kansas meatpacker Creekstone Farms has filed a lawsuit against the USDA over the Department's refusal to let the firm voluntarily test all of its cattle for BSE. USDA says 100 percent testing is not scientifically warranted, but Creekstone CEO and founder John Stewart says science isn't the issue. It's what his customers in Japan want. Stewart: "We are testing these cattle because our consumers had asked us to test. And frankly it doesn't have anything to do with the science behind this." Stewart says he met several times with USDA and each time was told the same thing, that the Department could not approve voluntary BSE testing. Stewart: "USDA took the position that they were not going to allow us to test and they repeatedly told us that. They even threatened us with criminal prosecution of we attempted to acquire the test kits." Stewart says USDA is controlling the sale of BSE test kits through an obscure 1913 law that was aimed at hog cholera. Creekstone first asked USDA permission to conduct 100 percent BSE testing of its own beef back in 2004 but was rejected. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association opposes Creekstone's effort to do its own testing, R-CALF USA supports Creekstone. I'm Bob Hoff.