first mad cow disease in usa confirmed

from The Australian:


First US mad cow case confirmed
From correspondents in Washington
December 24, 2003
THE first-ever US case of mad cow disease is suspected in a single cow in Washington state, but the American food supply was safe, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said today.

"We remain confident in the safety of our food supply," said Veneman.

She told a news conference that a single Holstein cow that was either sick or injured - thus never destined for the US food supply - tested presumptively positive for the brain-wasting illness.