Meatpacker considers suing USDA over mad cow

Saturday, April 10, 2004

WASHINGTON -- A small meatpacking company warned Friday it may sue the Agriculture Department to obtain permission to test every animal at its slaughterhouse for mad cow disease. Agriculture officials have refused a license request from Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, which said Japanese customers would buy its products if the company tested every animal processed at its Arkansas City, Kan., plant for the brain-wasting disease, formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Consumer advocates, some lawmakers and U.S. trading partners are pressuring the agency to expand its testing program. Japan, the biggest market for U.S. beef, is demanding the United States test all 35 million cattle that are slaughtered each year.

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