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<DIV>All,</DIV>
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<DIV>We have heard the following members of this administration not tell us
the truth: Bush, Cheney, Powell, Rumsfeld, Rice, and the FDA has not been
factual on approving medicines and now this article from the USDA about a
test for BSE "Mad Cow Disease" which they want us to "Trust
them"!!!!! The head of USDA, Ann Veneman's is on her way out and they will
be appointing another Bush "YES person" to take her place. I just wish I
had that warm feeling that I could believe this but recent history doesn't help
me.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Dick Schmidt</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Statement by John Clifford, Deputy Administrator Animal & Plant Health
Inspection
Service
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<DIV>"The USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa,
has determined that the inconclusive screening test sample reported on Nov. 18
has tested negative for BSE upon confirmatory testing.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"The Nov. 18 sample is the first that has tested inconclusive under an
APHIS protocol announced in August that calls for public reporting of screening
results only after two reactive screens. NVSL used the immunohistochemistry
(IHC) test, an internationally-recognized gold standard test for BSE, and
received a negative result on Nov. 22. Because the Nov. 18 screening test
results were reactive in both the first and second screens, NVSL scientists made
the recommendation to run the IHC test a second time. On Nov. 23 they reported
the second IHC test was negative. Negative results from both IHC tests make us
confident that the animal in question is indeed negative for
BSE.</DIV></BODY></HTML>