Statement by Philip Seng, Pres./CEO

“The USDA announcement today of an "inconclusive" BSE test result was not unexpected. The new and very aggressive U.S.surveillance program was designed to cast the widest net possible and, as the Europeans and Japanese have learned, inconclusive test results can result. The important thing to remember is this: The U.S. has in place a federally-mandated and industry implemented dual firewall system designed to help us better understand the prevalence of BSE in the United States while protecting human health. Our surveillance program helps us understand the animal health threat, while new, in-plant protocol designed to remove potentially infectious material from the human food chain protect human health.

“In a few days we will know more about this “inconclusive” finding. But regardless of how it turns out, our customers can be assured that the U.S.beef industry continues to produce safe and wholesome beef products of the highest quality in the world.”