Welfare ranchers worried Tester bill will expose American meats as contaminated

Every ag product, meats both wild and domestic not grown organically in South Dakota is contaminated with neonicotinoids, glyphosate, dicamba, DDT, mercury, lead, cadmium, PFOs, E. coli, Shigella, Legionella and other toxins. That's probably true everywhere in the United States. Country of Origin Labeling was repealed in 2015 to shield American meat from scrutiny.

Montana Senator Jon Tester has introduced a resolution to reinstate Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Policy Division Vice Chairman Todd Wilkinson says while his group backs voluntary COOL, but having the mandatory designation reinstated could prove costly for America’s cattle producers. He says since Mandatory COOL was struck down by the World Trade Organization reinstating the program could trigger retaliation from Canada and Mexico, which are top markets for U.S. beef. [WNAX]

In countries that import American meats concerns are mounting that chronic wasting disease (CWD) and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) have made their way into the food web.

In 2017 beef products dispensed in South Dakota vending machines were recalled by the US Department of Agriculture after a routine inspection revealed Bovine tuberculosis. During that outbreak in South Dakota Republican former legislator Betty Olson blamed deer for bovine TB while praising the destruction of the cougars, coyotes and wolves that control deer. She wondered why Game, Fish and Plunder hadn't slaughtered every wild critter in northwestern South Dakota.

Rodeo stock were ultimately established as the carriers.

Photo: cattle are depositing manure contaminated with bovine growth hormones and antibiotics into a critical Black Hills watershed.