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CNN Live At Daybreak
Organic Beef Products More Popular Since Mad Cow Scare
Aired December 30, 2003 - 05:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Here in the States, a possible clue to the origin of that mad cow disease scare. The Department of Agriculture now says the diseased dairy cow in Mapton, Washington was born four months before a ban on using brain and spinal cord tissue in cattle feed. The disease is spread through brain and spinal cord tissue. Investigators believe the cow came from Alberta, Canada.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. DON DEHAVEN, USDA CHIEF VETERINARIAN: The age of the animal is especially important in that it is a likely explanation as to how this animal would have become infected. She would have been born before feed bans were implemented in North America, as the feed bans in the U.S. and Canada both went into effect in August of 1997. And as a I mentioned, records would now indicate that this animal was born in April of 1997.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Federal officials insist the nation's beef supply is absolutely safe. Still, some shoppers may be more comfortable with so-called organic beef products.
Our Maria Hinojosa tells us about that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello, there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi there, folks.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi.
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A busy Monday morning at the Stoney Croft Dairy Farm in northwestern New Jersey.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are no dies in it, no antibiotics, no hormones.
HINOJOSA: These customers have driven more than an hour just to get fresh farm made cheese. Ken and Julie Bechtold's 20 Jersey cows are more popular than ever.
KEN BECHTOLD, STONEY CROFT FARM: I think most people are more interested in where the food was produced and who has produced that food. HINOJOSA: The federal Centers for Disease Control say it's highly unlikely consumers can get mad cow disease from meat, milk or cheese. But the discovery of mad cow disease in a Seattle dairy cow has some consumers extra cautious.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: See where the cows are being kept and the people that are raising the cows and are making the cheese and serving the cheese are the people we're talking to. And it just gives me a feeling of confidence.
And it just gives me a feeling of confidence.
HINOJOSA: These Jersey cows and others raised in what's called sustainable farming eat only home grown hay or grain from nearby farms, without the use of chemicals. They don't ever eat meat or poultry or their byproducts, thought to be the main means of transmitting mad cow or BSE.
NICK MARAVELL, NICK'S ORGANIC FARMS: We'll be able to tell how this crop was planted, what field it came off of.
HINOJOSA: Some farms go even further to ensure safe beef, avoiding pesticides, antibiotics, hormones or chemically fertilized hay. Then they can get a federal organic designation.
MARAVELL: Already, before the mad cow incident occurred this month, a good 10 to 20 percent of my customers were already asking the question, "Do you feed any animal byproducts?" We don't feed animal byproducts.
HINOJOSA: A top of the line diet, say these farmers, is what their customers want for their own diet, too.
(on camera): It has been illegal since 1997 to feed any cow brain or spinal cord tissue, which experts suspect could transmit the mad cow disease. The cow that was infected was born before 1997 so the cattle ranchers say that their beef is as safe as anything that's organic from mad cow disease.
Now, the USDA does label some beef as organic, as long as it's chemical and hormone free. But top ranchers say you can also do your own research to find out which merchants produce beef that's up to your own personal standards.
Maria Hinojosa, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 30, 2003 - 05:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Here in the States, a possible clue to the origin of that mad cow disease scare. The Department of Agriculture now says the diseased dairy cow in Mapton, Washington was born four months before a ban on using brain and spinal cord tissue in cattle feed. The disease is spread through brain and spinal cord tissue. Investigators believe the cow came from Alberta, Canada.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. DON DEHAVEN, USDA CHIEF VETERINARIAN: The age of the animal is especially important in that it is a likely explanation as to how this animal would have become infected. She would have been born before feed bans were implemented in North America, as the feed bans in the U.S. and Canada both went into effect in August of 1997. And as a I mentioned, records would now indicate that this animal was born in April of 1997.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Federal officials insist the nation's beef supply is absolutely safe. Still, some shoppers may be more comfortable with so-called organic beef products.
Our Maria Hinojosa tells us about that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello, there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi there, folks.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi.
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A busy Monday morning at the Stoney Croft Dairy Farm in northwestern New Jersey.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are no dies in it, no antibiotics, no hormones.
HINOJOSA: These customers have driven more than an hour just to get fresh farm made cheese. Ken and Julie Bechtold's 20 Jersey cows are more popular than ever.
KEN BECHTOLD, STONEY CROFT FARM: I think most people are more interested in where the food was produced and who has produced that food. HINOJOSA: The federal Centers for Disease Control say it's highly unlikely consumers can get mad cow disease from meat, milk or cheese. But the discovery of mad cow disease in a Seattle dairy cow has some consumers extra cautious.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: See where the cows are being kept and the people that are raising the cows and are making the cheese and serving the cheese are the people we're talking to. And it just gives me a feeling of confidence.
And it just gives me a feeling of confidence.
HINOJOSA: These Jersey cows and others raised in what's called sustainable farming eat only home grown hay or grain from nearby farms, without the use of chemicals. They don't ever eat meat or poultry or their byproducts, thought to be the main means of transmitting mad cow or BSE.
NICK MARAVELL, NICK'S ORGANIC FARMS: We'll be able to tell how this crop was planted, what field it came off of.
HINOJOSA: Some farms go even further to ensure safe beef, avoiding pesticides, antibiotics, hormones or chemically fertilized hay. Then they can get a federal organic designation.
MARAVELL: Already, before the mad cow incident occurred this month, a good 10 to 20 percent of my customers were already asking the question, "Do you feed any animal byproducts?" We don't feed animal byproducts.
HINOJOSA: A top of the line diet, say these farmers, is what their customers want for their own diet, too.
(on camera): It has been illegal since 1997 to feed any cow brain or spinal cord tissue, which experts suspect could transmit the mad cow disease. The cow that was infected was born before 1997 so the cattle ranchers say that their beef is as safe as anything that's organic from mad cow disease.
Now, the USDA does label some beef as organic, as long as it's chemical and hormone free. But top ranchers say you can also do your own research to find out which merchants produce beef that's up to your own personal standards.
Maria Hinojosa, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
