OOPS, VOL. 23: MAD COW GROUND INTO FEED

CBC News is reporting that the Canada's May 2003 mad cow "was turned into feed and may have been mistakenly fed to other cows." The Canadian Food Inspection Agency discovered that cattle at a number of farms were eating feed intended only for pigs and chickens - feed that may contain the rendered remains of the diseased cow. Fortunately, "in response to the CBC report, the federal agriculture minister said rules banning the use of cow brain, eyes and backbone in all animal feed would soon be published." Whew. Does all this sound familiar? Does anyone seriously believe our own USDA is somehow more on the ball than this? And do we have any assurance that the Mad Cow feed, or a cow that had eaten it, didn't cross the border?